Bonds
by anngraham
Summary: Ethan Carter the Third was handsome, rich, arrogant and immortal. He had everything money could buy, a wonderful family and yet somehow his life was still empty. That's when he met his Aunt's newest employee, blond, short, British and nothing he ever thought he'd fall for. Too bad life had never been kind and his arrogance might just cost him his one chance at true happiness.
1. Someone's at the door

Jagged shadows crept along the elegant wood paneling of the mansion's extensive library, throwing its usual air of peaceful warmth into one of dark menace. Distantly a grandfather clock chimed the late hour, the low baritone gong echoing pleasantly in the otherwise silent room, a silence that shattered under the loud crack of the solid wooden doors bursting open. A slim figure darted in to rifle through the bookshelves lining the walls in increasing desperation, sending whole rows of books crashing carelessly to the floor.

"Did you find it?" Dropping the hastily packed leather cases by the door Serg strode to the wide windows and peered through the heavy brocade curtains, breath hissing out at how large the mob had grown. It appeared as if the whole village had come out and judging by the dull thumps now reverberating through the house the front door would not hold much longer. Already the smell of acrid smoke was overtaking the room, lending a background note of panic to the already strained atmosphere.

Barely able to see through her tears Dixie shook her head, "not yet." Sending another row tumbling off the shelf her hands never faltered in their task, "we can't leave it for those heathens to find."

With one last look outside Serg joined the search, kneading his wife's tense back briefly. "We only have a few minutes before the front door breaks, after that we need to go or run the risk of being captured. And even you my darling can't fight off that many people."

Not sparing the time for a verbal response Dixie nodded her understanding and redoubled her efforts, rewarded when her searching fingers brushed up against soft leather. Crying out in delight she pulled out the thin book and clutched it close, "I've got it."

"Thank god, now let's _go_," snatching up their suitcases Serg hustled his wife from the room, exchanging a worried look at the ominous crackle of flames that could clearly be heard once in the hall. "We're going to have to make a run for it. Whatever happens, don't stop." Gathering up the layers of her dress Dixie took a deep breath of her mate's comforting scent and nodded.

It was a frantic dash to reach the back of the house, staying just ahead of the fire that was swiftly consuming their home. Bursting into the kitchen, miraculously as yet untouched Serg tugged open the hidden latch set in an intricate pattern on the floor. Dropping the cases down into the darkness he held his hand out to his wife, frowning as she stood frozen in the doorway. "Dixie, honey we have to go."

"This is our home Serg," looking around the cozy kitchen Dixie angrily swiped at the tears flowing down her face, heart clenching in pain as memory after memory flickered through her mind, "we had our Bonding Celebration out in the gardens. My brother and his mate got married here. How can we just leave without fighting for it?" Sucking in a gasping breath she clung desperately to her husband's strong shoulders.

Cupping his wife's face Serg wiped away her tears, wanting nothing more than to erase the anguish in her beautiful brown eyes he forced himself to stay firm, "the whole town is breaking into our home honey, they've already set it on fire. They know what you are. There is _no_ way we can stay and survive." Pressing their foreheads together he risked stealing another moment to simply hold her, voice rough, "home is more than this brick and stone sweetheart. It's you and me. Forever."

Stifling a sob Dixie closed her eyes and burned the bitter sweetness of this moment into her memory. Pulling away she fixed her gaze on the hole and jumped without hesitation, hearing her husband follow moments later. The hatch had barely closed when the thump of hard boots thundered overhead, pottery shattering amidst rough curses when their searchers found nothing. Curling her fingers through her husband's she smiled tremulously when he placed a warm kiss on her palm before carefully leading the way down the long, twisting tunnel.

Tears drying on her face she walled away her rage and sorrow, concentrating solely on the reassuring warmth of her mate's hand and the need to reach safety. The dark passageway smelled unpleasantly of damp and rotting wood, each and every blasted root seemingly purposely placed just to trip them. In the stale pitch black Serg's hand tightened on hers and if it hadn't been for the advantage her nature afforded it would have taken far too long to find the right path.

Dawn was breaking in a glorious blaze of pink and orange when they finally staggered out of the tunnel. Dropping to his knees Serg tipped his face to the sky and breathed deeply, shaking off the dizzying effects of the stagnant air. Heartbeat gradually slowing to a more reasonable pace he looked up at his wife standing strong and beautiful in the soft morning light.

The sight gave him the energy to climb to his feet and determinedly putting all thoughts of their burning home behind him he reached for a handkerchief and wiped a smudge of dirt off his wife's cheek. Meeting her anguished expression he tugged her into his arms, pressing a gentle kiss to her temple, "I love you Dixie Louise Carter." Closing his eyes as muffled sobs escaped he simply held her tighter, "it's going to be okay darling. We'll head to the coast and take a ship to America. It'll be a wonderful adventure. Perhaps your brother could help us find a new home and you'll finally have time to spoil little Ethan."

With a crooked smile Dixie breathed through her tears and lifted her chin, "something to look forward to then." Finding courage in her mate's strength she brushed her tears away and curled her hand around Serg's arm. Resolutely turning her back as their home of seventy years burned to the ground she allowed Serg to lead her away.

Attempting to stay ahead of their attackers they pushed on through the heat of the day to reach the next town just before nightfall. Already there were whispers about a fire and they didn't dare stay and rest, stopping just long enough to purchase a horse and carriage along with a small supply of food before pushing on to the coast. Days of rough travel slowly turned into a week until finally the invigorating scent of sea air reached them. The bustling coastal town was a delightful change from the country-side they'd left behind and their quaint waterfront hotel afforded them a much-needed respite until the ship they'd booked passage on was set to depart.

Looking up at the impressive bulk of the ocean liner, the dockyard a busy mass of workers and fellow travelers Serg raised his wife's hand to his mouth, nipping gently he coaxed a smile from his still tired wife, "ready darling?" Smoothing back a lock of hair at her uncertain nod he jauntily offered his arm, "it's time to meet our future."

The month-long journey filled with fresh sea air and the calming rhythm of the ocean gave them the chance to start putting the destruction of their home behind them. Long slow nights were spent dancing under the starry sky, bringing them closer in an already unshakeable bond and almost before they were ready the slow peaceful trip was over, their ship docking in New York to the noise of a large city.

Deciding his wife deserved some pampering Serg booked a room at the most expensive hotel in the city, where they ended up not surfacing for anything other than food for one glorious weekend. With nothing rushing them and no fear of discovery they took a few months to explore the amazing variety of land America had to offer. However, it wasn't until they reached the valley her brother had chosen to live that Dixie fell in love, knowing without a doubt she'd finally found her new home.


	2. Journey's End

Frowning at the sudden knock on the door Ethan set his book aside, visitors were something of a rarity in their remote location. Venturing towards the front of the house he met his mate emerging from the kitchen, "are you expecting anyone?"

Shaking her head Betty wiped her floured hands on her apron and tucked a stray curl of dark hair behind her ear, "no one I'm aware of."

Lightly touching the smooth metal of the gun he kept by the entrance he opened the door a crack. Blinking he stared at the couple on his front step before with a shout of delight he grabbed his sister and swung her into a hug. "Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes," releasing one arm he gripped Serg's hand warmly, "and Serg, welcome. I'm so glad to see you both." Laughing at his sister's annoyed swat he let her go and stepped back, "where are my manners. Come in you two. We've been so worried ever since your letter reached us about what happened."

Waving off Serg's protest he grabbed the large suitcases from him and moved out of the way for his wife to offer her greetings. Tucking the suitcases under the staircase he guided the travel weary couple to the sunroom, awash in the bright afternoon sunshine. Offering an assortment of drinks he surreptitiously studied his sister's face, expecting to find her still grieving from the terrible attack that took their home the weight on his shoulders eased at her soft smile.

Taking a seat beside his wife Ethan relaxed into the couch, unable to contain his contented smile, it had been too long since they'd all been together, "I can't tell you how happy we are to have you here with us." A sharp cry broke the welcoming quiet and they all looked up at the ceiling.

"Well it seems little Ethan is excited to finally meet his Aunt," with an amused laugh Betty patted her husband's knee, stopping him from getting up. "I'll go see to him dearest." Turning to her sister-in-law she smiled kindly, "why don't I show you up to your room and you can meet him. I just know he's going to love you."

Blinking back tears Dixie squeezed Serg's hand before joining Betty, "thank you, I can't wait to meet him. We have a lot of catching up to do." The last of the strain she'd been under since that terrible day bled away in the warmth of her family's love.

Watching his wife leave, head bent conspiratorially towards her sister-in-law as they giggled together Serg raised his glass towards Ethan. Meeting the other man's understanding gaze he cleared his throat, "to family." Clinking glasses he knew in that moment everything was going to work out perfectly.


	3. Growing up

The first time Ethan dreamed of eyes as clear and blue as the sky after a thunderstorm was on his eighth birthday. Aunt D and Uncle Serg had returned early from their vacation just to celebrate with him and so any thought of mentioning the odd dream was driven from his mind in the excitement of the day. Each birthday after that the dream returned, and as he came to expect the memory of those blue eyes were the only detail that remained.

Until he turned thirteen.

That year hair the colour of spun sunshine joined the blue eyes of the blurred figure. Despite the increasing frustration of not being able to remember anything else the dreams always left him with a comforting feeling of warmth and safety. Each year he looked forward to them, and when they suddenly stopped after his sixteenth birthday he had to fight off the disappointment until the details grew even hazier and eventually the memory of _why_ he was disappointed faded.

Now eighteen Ethan drifted lazily with the gentle current, luxuriating in the sinful feel of cool water on his skin under a bright blue sky that seemed to stretch for miles. Tonight was an important milestone in his life and he could barely contain his excitement. For weeks now the hunger had been building, at first only a dull itch it had steadily built into a fire burning through his veins. Without his father and Aunt's calming advice he'd have been lost to the basic urges of his nature.

Rolling over and striking out for the distance shore he touched the tip of his tongue to his changing teeth, tonight he'd be putting those urges into practice for the very first time and he couldn't wait. Not bothering to dry off he haphazardly pulled on his clothes, the lake was in such a remote part of the countryside he indulged in the rare opportunity to run at full speed, laughing in joy as the wind whipped his hair dry. Arriving back home barely out of breath he burst into the study to his mother's half-hearted scolding.

Sweeping her into a hug Ethan smiled charmingly, "sorry mom, I'm just excited for tonight."

Setting his coffee cup down his father grinned indulgently at his son's wild tangle of hair, "well then son I suggest you get yourself ready to be seen in civilized public and we'll be on our way."

Keeping her worry well-hidden Betty watched their son race from the room, "you will make sure he stays safe right?" Leaning into her husband's strong arms she shuddered as a warm mouth nipped along the sensitive curve of her neck.

"I will take great care of him my love," pressing a kiss to his mate's dark curls, so much like his son's Ethan held her close as the light coming in from the wide windows slowly faded with the setting sun.

Strolling down the busy street father and son appeared to be nothing more than two well-off, well-dressed gentlemen. "Have you found one you like yet?" Careful not to stare he nodded towards a small blonde woman walking alone, "how about her?"

Hesitating as a vague memory stirred Ethan shook off the gossamer feeling of disquiet, "no, not her." Turning his gaze further down the street his gums tingled, "that one, by the diner. She's perfect."

Following his son's gaze to the tall dark-haired beauty giggling and hanging off an older man's arm he grinned sharply, "good choice. Shall we?" Gesturing for his son to lead the way Ethan fell in line a few steps behind him.

Keeping a low-profile Ethan trailed behind the self-absorbed couple, trying to judge the perfect moment to strike. As they passed by a deserted alleyway it was only his father's restraining hand that halted his forward motion.

"Wait son," ignoring Ethan's instinctive growl he tightened his grip, "give them a few minutes to get distracted then follow. Target the woman first, if you don't subdue her she will scream. It'll take a moment for the man to take action but you must not waste any time in taking him out of the equation." Clapping the younger man on the shoulder he held Ethan's reddened eyes, "I'll be close. Let your instincts guide you." Releasing his son was one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do and he struggled against the impulse to help. Only the knowledge Ethan had to learn to do this on his own stayed his hand, babying his son in this would only harm him.

The dim light of the alleyway wasn't an obstacle as he stalked the occupied couple. His light footsteps were masked by man's heavy breathing and he was almost on top of them before the woman opened her eyes and saw him. Striking quickly he slapped a hand over the man's mouth, yanking him backwards as he stared directly into her eyes. "Everything is okay, there is no reason to be afraid," letting his voice fall into a slow, deep timber he held firm as the man started to struggle in earnest. As her eyes went blank he pulled the man away and spun him around, shoving him into the brick wall.

"You're crazy. What did you do?" Throwing a punch the man's eyes widened in fear as his fist was caught and held effortlessly.

"Nothing unusual is going on, you had a wonderful encounter with your beautiful companion and saw her home safely." The rush of power as the violence and will drained out of his victim was intoxicating. Heart pounding in excitement Ethan grinned savagely, "now wait here like a good boy until I'm done."

Turning back to the docile woman he nuzzled into her neck, breathing in the delicious scent of the hot blood running so close to the surface of her skin. Shuddering he sank his fingers into her dark curls and pulled her head back, biting deeply he moaned as the delicious liquid exploded on his tongue. It tasted like nothing he'd ever had before, sweet and salty and everything he'd ever wanted all at once. Holding her plaint body closer he wasn't aware of anything but finally fulfilling the gnawing hunger until a strong hand gripped his shoulder.

"Easy now son, listen carefully to her heartbeat. When it slows below sixty beats per minute you have to stop or you risk her dying," not letting his sons threatening snarl intimidate him he patiently waited for Ethan to reluctantly pull back. "That's good Ethan. Now you need to lick across the wound in order to close it."

Closing his eyes as his father's words penetrated the trance he'd fallen into Ethan followed orders and lapped up the spilled blood, struggling to resist the urge to bite back down. Straightening up he took the handkerchief his father handed him and carefully wiped the few remaining streaks away. Gripping her chin gently he delicately smoothed back a curl, "you won't remember anything. You and your companion had a fun evening and then he escorted you home."

Snapping his fingers in the man's face Ethan retreated alongside his father from the alleyway. Pulling back on the trickle of power to leave the couple slowly coming out the fugue state he'd sent them in.

"I'm proud of you son. There are not many young men who'd have the will power to stop in the way you did," meeting Ethan's eyes, so identical to his beloved wife's he pulled his son into warm embrace. "You did good, now let's go home before your mother sends your Aunt out after us."

Laughing Ethan blinked back the sting of tears as his father let go, "she would do that wouldn't she?" Gazing up at the starry sky he rubbed his arms, his entire body was thrumming in a way he'd never felt before. "I feel … energized."

"It's the blood. In time you'll get used to the sensation," coming to the edge of the town he nudged his son towards the surrounding woods. "Go. Run until you feel tired. Then come back home. We'll all be waiting to celebrate."

Pausing only to grab his father in another hug Ethan took off with a quiet whoop of joy. Running through the dark woods this time felt different, the smell of every animal was separate and distinct, the trees in such sharp contrast against the dark of the night he didn't even need the light of the moon. Jumping effortlessly over a wide stream he couldn't wait for his next taste of rich blood.


	4. Into the Night

War swept over the world. With all the arrogance of youth on his side Ethan was determined to join what he secretly thought of as a glorious adventure. Most of the young men in the area had already enlisted and it was time to do his part. Unfortunately, his parents fought him every step of the way until it felt like his only option was to disobey and sneak away while they were on vacation. Leaving only a letter and ignoring the prick of guilt he packed a duffle bag, setting off for New York in a whirlwind of anticipation.

Enrolling in the army was easy, with his physique it would have been stupid for them to deny him. Basic training was equally a joke, he passed every test and training exercise with an ease that quickly earmarked him for the leadership program, his only struggle came from the necessity of keeping his true abilities hidden. Before the month ended his regiment was declared ready for deployment and shipped out to the front lines, the long journey across the Atlantic fraught with the danger of being discovered feeding. In such a confined space he learned what it was like to go hungry for the first time.

Arriving on the front lines the reality of war was nothing like he had imagined, _nothing_ in his life had prepared him for the brutal assault on his senses, the blast of gunfire, the relentless scent of blood, his hunger barely leashed and all the more powerful for the fact he didn't dare risk drinking from his men. Not because he feared being discovered but because he didn't dare risk their health in any way and so he lived with the vicious hunger until his self-control was ironclad.

What had started as an adventure, a way to strike out on his own and do something important had turned into a living nightmare. Kneeling in the cold muck, surrounded by the cries of his own men dying, bullets and explosions raining around them in a never-ending wave he knew how wrong he had been to ever think this was something to desire. Some days it was all he could do not to give into the urge to tear into any living body, control only faltering when his arm shattered under a rain of bullets, pain and blood loss forcing him to hunt or risk exposing everything. Taking the chance of using his speed he found and suborned the nearest German under his will, drinking deeply until the man's heart failed he carefully obliterated all evidence of anything supernatural even as his arm healed.

It was liberating a concentration camp however that broke something in him, showing him the depths of depravity humanity could sink to. The nightmare images of skeletal thin men, women and more horrifying of children seared into his brain. Their weak cheers breaking the silence after the battle was over. Despite his entire team working around the clock all too many of the heart-breakingly thankful prisoners died before more help could arrive, too starved and injured to survive even a small amount of food. One little girl with the sweetest smile held his hand, blue eyes fixed on his face as she struggled to breath, dying between his frantic gestures for water and assurances everything was going to be okay. After that he was numb to further atrocities, slogging through each day until victory was declared. What remained of his regiment shipped home with such little time between fighting to peace it was hard comprehend the war was over.

Victory. It was a word he heard all too often. A word he scoffed at. There had been nothing victorious about what they'd seen and done. Nothing victorious in watching people die, in killing other men, some little more than boys in service of monsters. Helping his men adjust to heading back into civilian life with a subtle nudge of power Ethan knew with a bone deep certainly he would never forget the horrors of war, would never forget the brutal reality of what humanity was capable of inflicting on itself.

Arriving home years after he'd left felt like a dream, his home so unchanged it seemed impossible to believe he'd ever been away. Drifting through the days he tried not to see the worried glances between his parents, tried not to react to their gentle questions on how he was doing, to his Aunt's more overt probing. All of them wanting nothing more than to help him yet not understanding he _couldn't _talk about it. Sitting on his bed, favourite novel cradled in his hands he suddenly couldn't stand the stifling normalcy of it all, couldn't stand to be in this place that had always meant safety and comfort another second. Tossing a change of clothes in a duffle bag he stole from the house, guilt flickering for a second on hearing his mother's tinkling laugh coming from his father's study but he didn't stop. Each step loosening the tight band around his chest until it felt like he could breathe again.


	5. Sophia

The next two decades passed in a blur of drugs, sex and endless disapproval of his family. It had taken years before he was forgiven for running off again and he still only seldom went home. It was the era of free love and Ethan took full advantage, never sleeping with the same woman twice and even experimenting with taking the occasional man to his bed. An enjoyable experience yet one that left him vaguely unsatisfied as an old dream of eyes the exact shade of the wide blue skies of his youth surfaced to plague him.

With no job or responsibility to tie him down he was free to indulge in his every whim, spending money by the fistful and partying so hard there were full weeks he couldn't remember. It was in one of those missing days karma finally caught up with him in the figure of sweet Sophia. A red-haired beauty with whom he'd apparently not only confided his true nature in but also somehow formed his first Vessel bond with. He didn't remember either event and it was the dose of cold reality he needed to stop his destructive habits, quitting drugs and alcohol cold turkey.

Luckily Sophia was a passive, compliant little thing, all it took to keep her happy was to let her spend his money on anything her heart desired. And while he didn't love her, he was careful to be considerate, buying her an expensive ocean front condo and never flaunting the other women in her face. In truth a part of him was disappointed in the bond, he'd heard so much about it throughout his life that he'd built it up into this idea of a perfect relationship. Instead their relationship was merely cordial, with none of the passion or warmth he'd expected. Weeks of not seeing her could pass with barely a twinge from their bond until he started to wonder if something was wrong with him.

Too ashamed to ask his parents for advice and admit his first bond was a disaster he stayed away as long as he could until his mother finally put her foot down. Demanding he come home to introduce Sophia or else she'd cut off his access to the family fortune. Knowing better than to push his luck Ethan bundled up Sophia despite her protests and booked a flight to Nashville. The once small city had expanded so much in the last few decades their remote Estate was barely on the outskirts of the bustling metro.

Stepping out of the limo Ethan silently cataloged all the small changes made to his family home in the years since he'd been back, a new colour of the front door, a few more trees shading the gravel walkway and that was it. His parents as much as they tried to move with the times were stuck in the past almost as much as his Aunt was, neither pair willing to change what they'd always known.

"It's gorgeous," breathing out the words Sophia clutched Ethan's arm, staring up at the mansion's effortless beauty numbly. Even knowing his family was well she'd never pictured his home to be so … so elegant, it reminded her of the historic Estates she'd toured in Europe.

Patting her hand Ethan smiled absently as he led the way to the massive wooden front doors, "yeah, it's not bad." Pushing the doors open he closed his eyes and breathed in the familiar scent of warm wood and baking bread, not realizing until this very moment how much he'd been aching to come home.

"Welcome home son," his father's voice came from the study and before he could do more than look over he was swept into a strong hug.

Squeezing back just as firmly Ethan laughed in delight, "dad, it's so good to see you. I've missed you old man."

"Don't give me that old man routine," swatting his son's shoulder in mock offense Ethan turned his attention to the young lady waiting patiently in the entranceway. It didn't take a genius to see what had attracted his son; her red hair glowed like fire in the bright sunlight streaming through the windows. "You must be Sophia, Ethan has written us about you." Reaching out he smiled reassuringly as he shook her hand gently, "it's wonderful to finally met you."

"Thank you, sir," smiling shyly Sophia hid her nervousness behind a small curtsey. "I'm very happy to meet you as well."

"Is that Ethan I hear?" His mother's voice yelled from the back of the house and both men shared a mutually fond smile.

The light running footsteps were the only warning Ethan had before his mother was darting through the door and throwing herself in his arms, hugging and kissing him until he finally pulled away with a laugh. "Hi mom, I've missed you."

Swatting his chest Betty wagged her finger at her son's charming smile, "you wouldn't know it from the way you haven't visited in the last decade." Tartly she held a glare for only a second before tightly hugging her son again, "don't let it happen again Ethan. You're never too old for me to take over my lap."

"Mother," rolling his eyes at his father's deep laugh and Sophia's light giggles Ethan felt a deep rush of contentment he hadn't experienced in longer than he could remember.


	6. Consequences

The weekend passed peacefully. Sophia had settled in quite well with his mother while he caught up with his father and the family finances, his only disappointment came upon learning his Aunt and Uncle were out traveling the world. He'd known his parents would accept Sophia no matter what so he'd been counting on Aunt D's honest opinion, she'd never failed to tell him the truth and he wanted that validation. As often as he'd tried to ignore it the fact his bond with Sophia was so weak … worried him.

With temperatures easing to a comfortable level lunch was taken in the garden amidst the sweet scent of blooming roses. "Tell me Sophia, now that it's been a few months do you feel you've adjusted to the bond?" Sipping on a glass of iced tea Betty watched the younger woman's face carefully, her intuition had been telling her something wasn't quite right since the moment she'd met her.

"I just feel lucky to have been chosen by Ethan," darting a look at Ethan's smug smile Sophia smiled demurely. "I think the expectation of living for such a long time was the hardest part to get used to," her smile froze upon the brittle silence that fell across the table, a feeling of dread gripping her.

Leveling a stern glare at his fidgeting son Ethan didn't do anything to disguise the disappointment in his voice, "did you not inform Sophia about the nature of Vessel bonds Ethan?"

Flushing in shame Ethan looked to his mother for support, flinching back from the equally disappointed expression on her face, it was one he'd never seen directed at him before and it brought home exactly how cavalier he'd been treating his relationship with Sophia. Swallowing he dropped his eyes to the table and rubbed his thumb along the cool drops of condensation on his glass, "I thought I had but maybe I didn't explain as well as I could have."

"We'll discuss this later Ethan," keeping her anger under tight control Betty turned to Sophia, feeling a swell of pity for the young women who'd obviously thought the bond had granted her immortality. "I'm so sorry Sophia. I don't think my son made it clear that your bond with him won't give you any longer of a life span then you'd naturally have, that's a side effect of a mating bond which I'm afraid the two of you just don't share. You will age and die like a normal human," gently touching Sophia's cold hand she was dismayed but not surprised to see a glimmer of suppressed rage flare in her green eyes. "You are part of our family now Sophia and I promise you will want for nothing the rest of your life."

Digging her nails into her palm in an effort to keep the burning rage hidden Sophia was sure she hadn't been entirely successful at the sympathetic understanding on Ethan's mother's face. With her dreams collapsing around her like shattered glass that look only made her want to grab her knife and sink it into Ethan's lying face. Pasting on a smile she spoke through numb lips, "I'm sorry for misunderstanding and please don't blame Ethan, he honestly tried his best to explain things to me."

Guilt flooding his stomach Ethan couldn't bear to let his gentle, shy Sophia excuse his mistakes, "it's okay Sophia you don't need to make excuses for me. It is my fault, I should have made sure you understood every aspect of the bond well before now." Raising his eyes he was reassured to see Sophia didn't look anywhere near as angry as he'd been expecting, even the bond remained steady and quiet as always. Given he hadn't meant to bond with her it certainly looked like he'd made a good choice, "like my mother said, I'll make sure you never lack for anything in your life."

"Thank you, Ethan," delicately laying her napkin aside Sophia pushed her plate away, skillfully slipping the silver knife up her sleeve. "I'm afraid I'm not feeling the best right now. Would it be okay if I rested in my room this afternoon?"

"Of course dear," waving her son to sit back down when he stood Betty smiled at Sophia, hiding her worry at the easy way the younger women had accepted the situation. Frankly she'd been expecting a bit of a tantrum. "You go ahead. I'll see you aren't disturbed."

Smiling her thanks Sophia all but fled from the Carter family, only letting her calm expression fall when she was safely behind closed doors. Muffling her shrieks of rage in a pillow she tore through the plush bedding, scattering sheets and blankets all over the room. Not satisfied she grabbed handfuls of clothing and flung them around in blind anger, kicking at them as they landed on the floor. Finally exhausted she carefully sat down at the make-up table and started to fix her face, smoothing down the stray curls that had escaped and erasing all traces of tears she plotted on how to take what she wanted from this family. As if their money could replace the true prize of living forever.

When Ethan, drugged out of his mind had first told her what he was, proving it with eyes that changed from brown to blood red and fangs that secretly terrified her she'd instantly known she _wanted_ what he had. Plotting and scheming how to get a hold of his immortality she'd stealthily increased his cocaine usage until she'd been able to manipulate him into drinking from her so often this stupid bond had formed. She'd thought she had it made then, having heard all about how his mother's perfect bond with his father had allowed her to live young and unaging for centuries. It didn't even matter that she couldn't stand Ethan Carter, with that stupid smile he thought was so charming and his smug arrogance, she was willing to put up with anything as long as she got what she wanted. Turns out the bond was easy to fool when the end goal was her wildest dream come true. Thoughtfully touching the knife hidden up her sleeve Sophia smiled dreamily, if blood had formed one bond perhaps what she needed was more blood.

Hours later with his ears ringing after what seemed like a never-ending lecture from both his mother and father Ethan dragged himself upstairs, their disappointment and his own guilt sitting heavily on his shoulders. Knocking on Sophia's door he massaged his temples, trying to drive away the persistent headache he'd had ever since this whole situation had blown up. "It's me Sophia, I'd like to talk to you if you're feeling up to it."

"Come in Ethan," he was relieved to note Sophia's voice sounded completely calm, the last thing he needed right now was more drama. Squaring his shoulders he opened the door and stiffened, the room was in complete disarray, clothes and bedding strewn all over the floor. Kicking aside a pillow he almost missed the light rustle coming from behind him. Turning towards the sound he staggered under a glancing blow from a heavy silver candleholder, dropping to one knee his arm came up just a fraction to slow to ward off the second blow. Groaning as darkness flickered behind his eyelids he was easily pushed onto his back as Sophia kneeled over him.

"You should have just given me what I wanted Ethan," ripping his shirt open Sophia held the knife as steady as her trembling hands allowed, waiting a split second until those horrid dark eyes focused on her and then widened in fear she stabbed downwards with all her strength. Ignoring Ethan's scream she brutally ripped the knife upwards, shuddering in bliss as hot blood flowed over her hands, "now I'm going to _take it_ from you." Dropping the knife she filled her hands with blood and drank the precious liquid, jolts of electricity coursed through her body, leaving her shuddering in both pain and ecstasy. It was better than any high she'd ever experienced, and she wanted, _needed_ more. Snatching the knife to make another cut her head snapped up as a low snarl echoed from the door, barely having time to blink before a blur knocked her off of Ethan and tossed her into a wall like she weighed nothing. Sliding down, aware her arm was shattered the last thing she saw was blood red eyes in a snarling, terrifying face.

"Ethan, I need you," his mate's panicked voice pulled him back from the brink of black rage he'd fallen into, dropping Sophia's broken body Ethan turned to the terrifyingly still figure of his son, surrounded by a spreading pool of blood.

Swearing he grabbed a nearby blanket and pressed it firmly against the gaping wound in Ethan's stomach, desperately trying to staunch the flow of blood. A quick calculation of the amount his son had lost buried his panic under a darker surge of fear. There was a very real possibility they could lose Ethan to true death if they didn't get more blood into him. Swallowing and pressing harder despite his son's pained whimpers he looked up at his mate's frozen figure, "gather every servant in the house and get them up here, he needs blood. NOW Betty," pushing the order through their bond he'd apologize later for his use of force but right now he needed every ounce of concentration to save his son's life.


	7. A Time to Heal

Stirring weakly Ethan fought to open his eyes, blinking up at the wood panel ceiling of his bedroom he frowned, something didn't feel right. He didn't remember going to bed last night and turning his head to the side his confusion deepened at spotting his mother scrunched up in an armchair. The last thing he remembered was going to see Sophia and … stiffening as his memory returned with a vengeance he shoved the blankets aside, freezing at the sheer volume of bandages covering his stomach. Tentatively brushing over the white fabric he bit back a whimper as even that light pressure sent a wave of agony burning through his body.

"Careful son," his father's soft voice broke through the haze of pain, a warm hand gently brushing his hair off his forehead, "the wound is barely closed. I'm afraid you're going to be stuck on bed rest for a while."

Focusing past the pain Ethan licked his dry lips and studied the lines of stress around his father's eyes, exhaustion evident in his slumped posture, "what happened dad? The last thing I remember is Sophia …" his voice faltered as the image of his lover preparing to stab him flashed through his mind. "… she stabbed me."

Sitting down on the edge of the bed Ethan pushed down his rage at the memory of his son bleeding out in front of him, "I do believe she thought by drinking your blood she could gain some form of immortality." Holding his son's stricken gaze, dark eyes filled with such guilty anguish he wanted to kill that bitch all over again for daring to put that look on Ethan's face.

"Where is she now?" His father's averted gaze was answer enough and turning his attention to where his bond used to be for the first time he felt the stinging ache, felt it reaching out in vain for the other half of its connection. Not sure how he should be feeling about Sophia's death Ethan locked the phantom pain away and struggled to sit up, "how am I still alive? I know she cut deep."

His mother's sleepy voice answered the question before his father could even open his mouth, "massive amounts of blood from everyone in our household and your father's quick work in stitching the wound closed." Standing she gently pressed her hand against her son's flushed cheek, smiling tremulously as her husband wrapped an arm around her waist. "It's been three days darling and I've never been so happy to see your beautiful brown eyes in my life. I love you so much Ethan, please never scare me like that again."

Clutching his mother's hand Ethan blinked back tears, "I'll try mom. I'm so sorry for all this, sorry for bringing her into this house. If I'd explained about the bond better maybe she wouldn't have spent the last few months thinking she'd live forever only to have it ripped away." The guilt of what he'd allowed to happen was only starting to sink in and it hurt a thousand times worse than the wound in his stomach.

"It's not your fault son," voice strong and confidant Ethan knew by the doubt on his son's face he would have to repeat that statement often. "Disappointed or not nothing gave Sophia the right to try and take your life."

Nodding wearily Ethan closed his eyes, desperately wanting to believe his father's words but not sure he deserved to. The only thing he knew for certain he was done with Vessel bonds, Sophia's cruel betrayal had taught him that at least, nothing was worth the risk of being so vulnerable to another person. Certainly not for a bond that had done nothing but cause him pain. From this day forward he'd erase the memory of every person he drank from, no one would _ever_ get close enough to betray him again.

* * *

After several long weeks spent recovering from the incident with the redhead, her name no longer spoken Ethan made the decision to travel the world. From the furthest remote regions to the most crowded city centres and everything in between. He wanted to experience it all, maybe then he could escape the nightmares plaguing his sleep and the nagging pain of a broken bond, even if he still couldn't find it in himself to mourn her death.

In Paris he discovered an unexpected love for art. Spending several exhilarating decades learning to paint and sculpt from struggling artists in run-down apartments all the way up to the masters in grand mansions. For the first few years all he painted was Sophia, dragging out every memory good or bad until he had a loft full of her image. Then one by one he burned them, letting go of his guilt and anger until her memory no longer had any power over him.

Moving on he found himself in Rome, a city that was steeped with such a rich history it made him feel young again, giving him some much-needed perspective on his own life. However, it was the gorgeous warm blue waters and calm serenity of Greece that helped him start to truly heal the wounds from his past. Living simply in a quiet, peaceful little town that never changed until the 90's rolled to a close.

Then it was off to the wilds of South America and the Amazon rain forest, the cloying heat and colour a welcome explosion on his senses. Standing out under the violence of the daily rain storm, simply breathing in the power of mother nature quickly grew to be his favourite part of the day. But even in the remotest jungle village he made it a point to keep in contact with his parents, ever since the 'incident' his mother tended to worry about him. Technology had come such a long way in just the last few years that communication was now laughably easy. He also held to his promise, becoming religiously careful when feeding, ensuring no man or woman ever remembered him when he was finished with them.

It was the turn of the century before he grew tired of being away from home, returning to trade in his wandering ways for the carefree lifestyle of the idle rich. Attending an exclusive University in order to cultivate a nucleus of people with a similar wealthy background, all so spectacularly shallow he was sure he'd get diabetes if he ever drank from any of them.

On a break from classes, the few he bothered to attend he stopped in to visit his Aunt and Uncle, they'd been staying on an isolated tropical island ever since Dixie had become pregnant with her second child. It was considered fortunate for a mated pair to be able to carry one child to term and a downright miracle to be blessed with two so it had been understandable when they'd taken their young daughter and retreated until after the baby was born.

In the week spent at their Estate not only was he spoiled as usual by his Aunt he found himself falling in love with his new baby cousin, surprised by the strength of the desire for a child of his own. After almost a hundred years on earth he hadn't found a hint of his future mate … not that he'd really been looking. There was a large part of him that wasn't even sure he wanted to find his mate, after what happened with his first bond the idea of giving up control of _any_ part of his life to another person terrified him.

The year he graduated Ethan had heard enough about his Aunt's new venture in running a wrestling company that he found himself oddly intrigued, despite his new 'friends' low opinion. The physicality of the sport and the ability to prove yourself stronger, smarter or tougher than your opponent appealed to him in a way few other things were right now. So when his Aunt asked if he wanted to be a part of the company he didn't hesitate to say yes. Diving headlong into learning the basics he debuted after only a few months, easily picking up the win despite his lack of experience he knew he was hooked.

"Hey Aunt D, do you have another opponent for me yet," already speaking as he barged into her office Ethan froze under the disapproving glare she leveled at him. It was an expression he hadn't seen from her since he'd been a child.

"I'm in a meeting Ethan," holding onto her patience Dixie pasted on a polite smile, it had been a long day of dealing with talent who were supposedly grown men when all she wanted to do was go home and see her actual children. She held up a hand as her nephew started to back out of the room with a grimaced apology, "but since you are here I'd like to introduce you to my new Chief of Staff Rockstar Spud." Standing she walked over and squeezed Ethan's arm, smiling encouragingly as her newest employee stood as well, "Spud this is my nephew Ethan Carter the Third. I expect you to obey his orders as if they were mine."

"Of course, Madame," stepping closer Spud held out his hand and smiled tentatively, trying not to be intimidated by the other man's sheer size and good looks. "It's nice to meet you Sir."

Shaking hands Ethan's breath stuck in his throat, fangs dropping on just catching a hint of the other man's scent. Like honey and crackling stormclouds, it almost had him pressing a complete stranger against the wall in his Aunt's office and drinking until satiated. Digging deep for control his composure took another hit upon meeting eyes so blue the dreams that used to haunt his childhood flooded back.

Truly scrabbling for control now in a way he hadn't had to since the war he pushed aside what had to be a coincidence, pulling up a shield of arrogance he looked over his Aunt's new employee from the top of all that pretty blond hair down to his feet. Smirking as the smaller man flushed and glared back at the blatant appraisal, "nice to meet you as well …" pausing he couldn't stop his amusement at such a ridiculous name from leaking into his voice, "Spud."

Sensing the tension between her nephew and her new Chief of Staff Dixie tried not to frown, quickly interjecting, "Spud won British Bootcamp, the reality show we ran in the UK last year."

Looking over the shorter man again Ethan smiled slowly, "so you're a wrestler then?" If it wasn't for his preternatural hearing he wouldn't have heard Spud's grumbled annoyance, fingernails digging into his palm as another flood of _hunger_ rolled over him.

Forcing his expression to stay neutral Spud wished just once for his abilities not to be openly doubted based on his appearance. Unable to lock down all of his frustration he met the other man's gaze with a hint of challenge, "for fourteen years Mr. Carter." The part of his mind not buried under annoyance couldn't help but admire Ethan Carter's gorgeous brown eyes.

Raising an eyebrow skeptically Ethan smirked, "that's pretty impressive for a man of your …" trailing off at his Aunt's warning cough he continued nonetheless, the darkening blue of Spud's eyes all the encouragement he needed. "… size."

"Thank you, Mr. Carter," gritting his teeth Spud forced a polite tone in the face of the other man's smug superiority. This was the first opportunity he'd been given since moving to America to be on the main rooster and he was damned if his own temper was going to mess it up.

Smothering a laugh Dixie tidied some papers on her desk, "well I'm pleased to see you two gentlemen are going to get along just fine." Waving Spud to sit back down she kissed her nephew on the cheek, "sorry darling we'll have to talk about your next opponent later. I need to finish discussing some business with my Chief of Staff."

"Sure Aunt D," nodding agreeably Ethan backed out of the room, fighting back his other half's displeasure at leaving he threw one last glance back at Spud. Somehow he knew he'd be seeing a lot more of their new Chief of Staff and remembering the flash of fire he'd caught in those startling blue eyes he had to admit the idea was appealing.


	8. Second Impressions

Walking through the company's headquarters Ethan held in a sneer at the low ripple of curiosity his presence stirred up, sweeping past the receptionist that tried to greet him he only paused on reaching the last office at the end of the hall. Leaning against the open doorway he silently watched his Aunt's new Chief of Staff, admiring the way the other man's hair glowed even in the awful overhead lighting he made the mistake of taking a deep breath. Forced to stop breathing for a moment as the shorter man's earthy sweet scent had his fangs descending without his control. It seemed like their first meeting hadn't just a coincidence … he was going to have to be _very_ careful if he had this reaction every time they met. Willing his fangs to retract and once his control was iron-tight he coughed lightly to gain the other man's attention.

Setting his iPad down with careful deliberateness Spud looked up in irritation, people had been stopping by his office all morning for no other reason than to check out the new employee and he was done being polite. Eyes widening at recognizing his boss's nephew he scrambled upright, wincing as his chair banged against the wall. "Sir," flushing under the other man's amused smile his fingers dug into the edge of his desk. "I'm sorry I didn't see you there. Is there something I can do for you?"

Flopping down in the guest chair Ethan leaned back and put his feet up on the desk, smile widening at the almost soundless huff of exasperation from the smaller man. "I want to know what your real name is."

"Have you never heard of google?" The sarcastic question was out before he could censure it and clapping a hand over his mouth in mortification Spud scrambled to apologize. "I'm so sorry Sir, I …" he was cut off by the other man's chuckle and he couldn't stop his lips from twitching at the rich sound.

Grinning slowly Ethan deliberately looked Spud up and down, there was the fire he'd been hoping he hadn't imagined, "feisty Spud, not what I expected from you."

"My name is James, James Curtin," breathing out shakily Spud retrieved his chair and sat, relief rushing through him when Mr. Carter didn't seem the least bit upset, very aware Dixie Carter would not have been as forgiving. Regaining a small bit of confidence he lifted his chin, not liking the implication the other man had thought him boring, "and with all due respect Sir, I don't think you know me well enough to expect anything from me."

"James," rolling the name around his mouth his skin prickled with sudden awareness when Spud's attention dipped to his lips for just a second, his other half preening, "I guess we'll just have to get to know each other than." Catching and holding those very blue eyes Ethan smiled as pleased surprise slid across Spud's face, "starting with how you can help me tonight." Leaning forward he lowered his voice and confided the details of his plan, impressed at Spud's quick grasp at what he wanted to accomplish.

Carving out a few minutes from his duties to Mrs. Carter Spud dragged Brian Hebner down to the ring, ignoring the man's complaints on how his father was being treated. In truth seeing the older referee being bullied bothered him as well but Mr. Carter had seemed to sense his reluctance to that part of the plan and had assured him Earl wouldn't be harmed. Pushing Brian into the ring he stood back as the crowd erupted in jeers, meeting Ethan's dark eyes and flushing under the pleased smile directed his way he had the sudden sinking feeling there wasn't much he wouldn't do to for the other man.


	9. Impossible Task

Gently shutting the thick mahogany door to Dixie's private office Spud made his way through the house, too tired to even be in awe of the luxurious surroundings. He'd driven all night from Georgia to Nashville only to be raked over the coals by Dixie for failing to get back the title. Naturally she hadn't accepted the excuse that AJ had been waiting for him, instead demanding he find a way to get her a new title belt or start looking for a new job. Groaning he massaged his aching head only to yelp as the back of his shirt was snagged in a firm grip.

"Relax it's just me," frowning at the dark circles under Spud's eyes Ethan was startled by the strength of his desire to force the smaller man to get some rest. Controlling the urge with the ease of long practice he raised an eyebrow, "what's wrong Spud? You look like crap."

Glowering Spud straightened his bowtie, "nothing is wrong Sir and thank you ever so much for the heartening comment on my appearance." Rolling his eyes a reluctant smile tugged at the corner of his mouth at Ethan's laughter, the coil of tension that had pulled his muscles tight easing at the warm sound.

"I hope you don't talk to Aunt D like that Spud or you won't be employed for very long," Ethan meant the words to be a light tease but Spud's wince told him everything he needed to know. "So that's what'd got you looking down, Aunt D read you the riot act?"

"Yes Sir," leaning into the steady hand on his back Spud didn't resist when Ethan pushed him towards the front door. There was just something about the bigger man that made his problems seem less insurmountable, "your Aunt has ordered me to get a new title belt or else."

Sighing Ethan shrugged off the spark of irritation with his Aunt for putting such impossible tasks on Spud's slim shoulders. "Well today is your lucky day after all Spud, I may have the answer to your problem." The painful hope in those blue eyes had him drawing Spud just a bit closer, "I know someone who can make a replica of the belt by Wednesday … oomph," laughing as Spud threw himself into his arms he took the opportunity to breath in that deliciously tempting scent, firmly clamping down on the urge to bite even as he successfully kept his fangs from emerging.

"Thank you, Sir," pulling back Spud flushed on realizing he'd thrown himself at a man he barely knew. Breathing easier at finding no sign of annoyance in Ethan's dark eyes he offered a tentative smile, "I was starting to worry I'd be fired before even working for your Aunt a month."

Nudging Spud forward Ethan allowed himself to simply enjoy the smaller man's closeness until they reached his car, "well I can't allow Aunt D to fire the only interesting person I've met since starting here." Opening the car door his other side rumbled in pleasure at the shy smile Spud flashed him, "now let's get some lunch and I'll introduce you to my guy."


	10. And New

Observing Ethan's faintly unhappy expression Spud waited impatiently for a chance to escape the hubbub surrounding Magnus, slipping away quietly when Dixie turned her attention from him to start fussing over the new Champ. He may have only known Ethan for a few weeks, but he couldn't help but feel protective over him, sensing genuine hurt lay under his ever-increasing scowl.

Touching Ethan's elbow gently he didn't flinch from the frown turned on him, "I'm sorry I didn't get the chance to congratulate you on securing the briefcase for the tag team titles Sir." Squeezing lightly before letting go he lowered his voice to a whisper, "you won't need any extra help to win either." Pulse jumping at the slow, sweet smile briefly curving the other man's lips he had to look down to hide the effect it had on him.

"Thank you Spud," blinking the momentary haze of red out of his vision Ethan forced back the rising tide of hunger as the other man's heart rate spiked. The sincerity fairly blazing from Spud's tone did however work to charm away a fraction of his bad mood on being ignored so thoroughly by his Aunt.

"You're welcome Sir," shuffling awkwardly Spud darted a look over his shoulder to where Magnus was still celebrating. "At least Magnus appears to be happy your Aunt's plan was so successful."

Lips thinning Ethan took a step closer to the shorter man, inhaling deeply of that clean sweet scent to distract himself from the new Champs annoyingly smug voice, "yes he certainly is … _pleased_ with himself isn't he." Forcing a smile as Spud looked up uncertainly he dropped a hand on the other man's shoulder, "you did a good job as well, Hardy certainly didn't expect you to push him off that ladder."

Flushing at the praise Spud ducked his head, "thank you Sir." Ethan's hand squeezed gently, and he cursed the slow stir of desire.

Letting his hand fall away Ethan found his eyes fixed on where Spud's bowtie had twisted a little, it would be so easy to use a trickle of power to maneuver the smaller man into an empty room and satisfy his curiosity if he tasted as good as he smelled. Only the surprisingly strong impulse not to take advantage of Spud stayed his hand, plus the very idea of wiping his memory made him … uneasy.

Discretely looking around for her nephew Dixie frowned at finding him standing a bit too close for propriety's sake to Spud. She knew that look on his face and while she usually didn't interfere with Ethan's hunting, she needed her Chief of Staff at peak efficiency. Not dazed from blood or memory loss. Excusing herself from the group she approached her nephew, coughing lightly to gain his attention she ignored his irritation and smiled cheerfully, "there you are darling, I need you to contact Miguel and see if he can accommodate a large group for supper. Magnus deserves a proper celebration for defeating Jeff Hardy."

"Of course, Aunt D," holding in a grimace Ethan wasn't fooled at all by the request, despite having already decided not to feed from Spud he didn't appreciate the interference. "I'll go do that now, if you'll excuse me," touching Spud lightly on the back he left at his Aunt's faintly apologetic nod, aware the smaller man's eyes followed his progress he didn't stop the scowl this time when Magnus's pompous tones declared the belt needed buffing and ordered Spud to get a cloth. It was really going to be difficult holding back on the impulse to knock the arrogance out of him.

"It's nice to see you and my nephew getting along so well," speaking before Spud could move away Dixie was careful to keep her expression neutral as his eyes flew up to her face, wondering if she should warn her Chief of Staff not to get _too_ friendly with her nephew.

Hesitating Spud forced himself not to blush, murmuring what he hoped didn't sound like an excuse, "I wanted to congratulate him on winning one of the Feast or Fired briefcases." The absolute last thing he wanted to do was reveal he had the beginnings of a crush on his boss's nephew right in front of said boss.

Briefly ashamed she'd forgotten her nephew's recent accomplishments in light of her plan coming together so perfectly Dixie met her Chief of Staff's understanding gaze, "thank you darling. Perhaps you could arrange of bottle of Ethan's favourite champagne to be delivered to Miguel's, tonight will be a double celebration."

"Of course, Madame, it would be my pleasure," waving a hand to acknowledge Magnus's repeated demand Spud bowed slightly at Dixie's approving smile, feeling a weight life from his shoulders. At least now Ethan would have the acknowledgment he deserved for winning a briefcase all on his own, unlike Magnus's tainted win of the title … an opinion he was wise enough to keep off his face as he hurried away to do the Champ's bidding.


	11. Celebration

Doing his best to merge into the background of the party he'd both planned and put together in less than a week as Magnus continued to celebrate his first World Title win Spud barely resisted rolling his eyes. His fellow brit wouldn't have won if not for the Carter's help and to pretend otherwise was offensive. Not that he'd dare express that opinion out loud, Mrs. Carter had made it quite clear Magnus was her new golden boy and he was to display the appropriate respect at all times.

"Not having fun?" Jumping Spud let out a strangled yelp as a low voice rumbled past his ear.

"Bloody hell don't do that Sir," clutching his chest Spud peered over his shoulder at Ethan Carter's contrite smile, willing his heart to slow as the bigger man patted his back soothingly.

"Sorry," tugging lightly on the back of Spud's shirt Ethan edged him a little further away from the crowd. He'd arrived late to the party fully expecting to find Spud glued to Magnus's side considering how excited he'd had been at the other man's win last week. Resolutely he kept the irritating flicker of jealousy out of his voice, "why aren't you out there celebrating your fellow countryman's big win."

Shrugging Spud kept his gaze fixed just to the left of Ethan's curious gaze, "no real reason Sir. This just isn't quite my cup of tea." Tugging at his bowtie he turned his head to watch Magnus call for more wine all the while pathetically clutching the belt like it would up and disappear.

"Hmm I don't think you're telling me the truth Spud," the sharp inhale and guilty flush told him he was right. Leaning closer Ethan lowered his voice, curiosity at the lie chasing away all traces of jealousy, "why don't you try again." The suggestion was laced with only mild threat.

Surrounded by the rich, inviting scent of Ethan's cologne Spud quickly scanned the room to make sure Mrs. Carter wasn't nearby. "Alright then Sir," flicking his eyes to Magnus and then back to Ethan's intense gaze he found it strangely easy confide in him. "I absolutely can't stand the bloody git," he had to duck his head to hide a smile at Ethan's choked off laugh, thrilled at being able to amuse the bigger man. Spotting Dixie heading in their direction with an unhappy expression he straightened up with a sigh, "however your Aunt has tasked me to make sure Magnus has everything he wants and it looks like duty calls." Pasting on a polite smile he didn't realize how much he'd tensed until Ethan squeezed his shoulder.

"I need you to get another bottle of wine for our new Champion Spud," due to her nephew's presence Dixie tempered the glare she leveled at her Chief of Staff.

"Of course, Madame, right away," murmuring obediently Spud felt a pang of loss when Ethan's hand dropped from his shoulder. Hurrying away he had the sinking feeling talking to Ethan was going to prove to be the sole highlight of his evening.

Despite her nephew's carefully controlled expression Dixie could tell he was annoyed, "I don't need to remind you Spud is only the hired help do I Ethan?" The last thing she needed was for those two to become friends, bad enough she suspected it wouldn't be long before Ethan started feeding from her Chief of Staff.

Rolling his eyes Ethan waved off the not so subtle warning, "this isn't the 1900's anymore Aunt D. Spud is our employee not our servant," shifting gears when she only frowned he smiled charmingly instead, grabbing two drinks from a passing waiter's tray and handing one over. "Besides he doesn't bore me."

"Alright Ethan," taking a sip Dixie acquiesced, she could risk indulging her nephew for now. "Just remember to be careful he doesn't come to suspect anything." After all it was highly unlikely he'd form a genuine friendship with someone like Spud.

"I'm always careful Aunt D," raising his glass in a toast Ethan was well aware his Aunt was too old-fashioned to truly understand his interest in Spud but he'd take her tacit approval for now. Idly he wondered what she'd say if he admitted Spud's scent tested his control in a way _no one_ ever had.


	12. Christmas Eve Blues

Gritting his teeth Ethan held onto his temper as another distant family member joined the discussion on what was wrong with him to only have had one Vessel Bond at his age. It was especially galling from those of his family that seemed to have a different companion every month. Before he could lose his temper at the incessant prodding his father spoke up to change the subject as his mother called him to her side, sending him up to their room to fetch a sweater for her. The few minutes grace was enough to calm his nerves, allowing him to regain modicum of patience until he managed to escape the Annual Carter Christmas party. His head was a hot, throbbing ball of pain and it was only on jumping in the Maserati and the further he got from Aunt D's estate that it finally started to ease.

With no destination in mind he soon found himself driving past an address he'd only seen on a piece of paper and before he could talk himself out of it he was pulling into the parking garage. The twenty flights of stairs to the top of the building were enough to burn off the last of his irritation leaving him calm as he knocked lightly, listening to the gentle thumps from inside until the door was finally thrown open. "Hi Spud," gaze flicking over the other man's wild hair and old, ratty pajama's in amusement Ethan leaned against the door frame as Spud blinked at him in clear shock. "Are you going to let me in?"

"Sir? I … yes of course," overcoming his surprise Spud held the door wider and ushered Ethan in, hastily snatching the pile of shirts waiting to be ironed off the couch and throwing them onto a chair. Turning back he nervously watched Ethan take in his rather small, untidy apartment with a carefully neutral expression. "I'm sorry for the mess, I didn't expect company today."

Waving the apology aside Ethan walked closer to the small but beautifully decorated tree, so different from the gaudy ones at his Aunts. "I wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas." Meeting the smaller man's skeptical expression he rolled his eyes and sighed, sinking down on the shabby but comfortable couch, "okay fine. I might also be fleeing from having to attend the most excruciating boring Christmas party ever thrown. Help me Rockstar Spud, you're my only hope."

Startled Spud laughed as the fear Ethan was only visiting on Dixie's behalf dissolved, "I knew introducing you to Star Wars would be a mistake Sir." Smirking when Ethan flipped him off he felt a bubble of satisfaction as the other man's weary expression faded. "I guess the least I can do is offer you a drink then, seeing as it's Christmas Eve and all."

With a lazy grin Ethan reached into his jacket and pulled out a bottle, "I thought we could share this actually."

Taking the bottle Spud's eyebrows rose on recognizing the very expensive brand of champagne Ethan favoured, "Merry Christmas indeed." Whistling appreciatively, he carried it into the kitchen and carefully opened it, silently thanking his mum for gifting him a set of crystal flutes last year he poured a healthy amount of the amber liquid. Sitting next to Ethan on his cramped couch he suppressed a shiver as the other man's body heat seeped through the thin material of his pajama pants. Mouth dry he sipped on the champagne, making an involuntary sound of appreciation at the taste, "oh this is good."

"My personal favourite," temperature spiking at the look of pleasure crossing Spud's face Ethan took a hasty sip, crushing his rising blood lust under decades of control. Turning his attention to their surroundings he took in the various framed movie posters and collectables fairly screaming bachelor pad, "I don't see any signs of a woman's touch Spud. No girlfriend?"

"Girlfriend, no," snorting at the idea Spud ignored Ethan's curious eyebrow at his response, "I don't have the time or the inclination." Playing with the stem of his glass he peered over at Ethan, risking the indulgence of his own curiosity, "and you Sir?"

"No, like you said, too busy," loosening the knot on his tie and sliding it off Ethan couldn't help but wonder if Spud's interests might lie outside of woman. He had to admit he very much enjoyed the idea of Spud being attracted to him. "Of course, Aunt D still nags me mind you. She's pretty set on my finding a … wife and having kids."

Nodding his understanding at the note of exasperation in Ethan's voice Spud buried his elation on hearing the other man was unattached, raising his glass in sympathy, "well here's to freedom then Sir."

"To freedom," clinking their glasses together Ethan drained his and set it on the coffee table, since it didn't appear Spud intended to kick him out anytime soon he shrugged out of his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. Stretching his arm along the back of the couch he brushed his fingertips experimentally along Spud's shoulder, the instinctive way the smaller man leaned into his touch sending his other half closer to the surface. "So why didn't you go home? I know Aunt D is a slave driver but even she would have given you a few days off to fly to England." Watching a flicker of sadness darken the warm blue of Spud's eyes for one frozen moment he felt red creep across his vision. Regaining control, he knew it _should_ worry him how easily Spud was able to disrupt his control, calling on his protective instincts and triggering his hunger in ways no one ever had but somehow it seemed … right.

Curling his legs under him Spud slouched deeper into the couch, careful to keep in contact with the hand barely touching his shoulder. Normally he avoided talking about his personal life but there was no denying in just a few short weeks Ethan Carter had become important to him. Important enough he didn't want to lie or dismiss the question like he usually would. "I'm not … close with my parents," voice low and pained he shivered when Ethan's warm hand grasped the back of his neck, finding a surprising amount of comfort in the firm grip. Turning his head he smiled shakily at the understanding in those dark eyes, "they don't approve of my career choice."

"Seems to me like you're been pretty successful so far Spud. It's not everyone who can move to a different country and succeed the way you have. What's not to be proud of?" Taking in the small shift in Spud's expression, the way his tense muscles unknotted under his fingers Ethan fought off the urge to tug the smaller man closer, his other half all but purring its satisfaction.

"Thank you, Sir," leaning into the warm grip on his neck for one indulgent moment Spud finally forced himself to get up and grab the bottle of champagne instead of throwing his arms around Ethan and hugging him senseless. Very few people in his life had ever even made the attempt to make him feel better like that. Pouring them another glass he flicked the tv on and smiled hopefully, "so how do you feel about Christmas movies?"

Lifting his refilled glass Ethan hid his amusement at Spud's less than subtle way of asking him to stay. Allowing the tips of his fingers to drag through the silky strands of blond hair he finally responded to Spud's questioning look, "that they should be watched with good friends, good alcohol and in a few hours good pizza." The pleased smile he got in return made him even more certain ditching Aunt D's party and coming to see Spud had been the best decision he'd made in years. It was an odd but decidedly nice feeling to have a friend he enjoyed spending time with.


	13. Ragdolled

Setting his phone down Ethan lazily stretched the kinks out of his back, ever since he'd debuted keeping up with social media had become increasingly tiresome. Suddenly registering how quiet the room was, used to Spud's bright chatter in the background he scanned the area with a frown, catching sight of the smaller man staring off into space while one hand massaged his throat. Remembering the way Jeff Hardy had grabbed Spud and rag dolled him into the corner earlier a spark of concern flickered to life. Spud had of course shrugged it off but now he wished he had made him visit the trainer for a checkup. It was only a few days after Christmas and the few peaceful hours he'd managed to carve away by visiting Spud so the idea the other man was hurt already had his hackles rising, "are you injured Spud?"

Blinking as Ethan's voice drew him out of the daze he'd fallen into Spud flushed and dropped his hand away from his neck. Shrugging he smiled weakly, trying to dismiss the question, "I'd hardly say I'm injured Sir." The last thing he wanted was for Ethan to think he was delicate, even if his throat was killing him from the cruel way Jeff's fingers had dug into his skin. Unconsciously his hand rose again to touch his neck.

Fighting off a growl at the obvious lie Ethan moved almost too quickly, catching Spud by the chin when he flinched at the rapid movement. Tilting his head up with a firm touch he met the other man's wide blue eyes with a scowl, "you're not telling me the truth Spud and you know how much I hate that." Unraveling Spud's silk bowtie he popped open the top few buttons to expose his neck, calling on decades of control to ignore his reaction to Spud's low gasp.

"Sorry Sir," swallowing as Ethan's warm fingers pressed carefully along his throat Spud struggled not to let on how much it hurt. Biting his lip he flicked an uncertain look at Ethan's stern expression, "I didn't want you to think you couldn't count on me during our tag match later."

"Luckily it just looks like some bruising," abruptly aware he was losing the battle against the desire to sink his fangs into the pulse beating so temptingly under his fingers Ethan dropped his hand. Pushing aside his hunger he focused on Spud's words, "you don't need to hide things from me Spud, I know I can count on you. In fact, you're the only one I trust here." Spud's shy smile had him reaching out to smooth back a lock of shining hair before he could stop himself.

"Thank you, Sir," voice husky Spud straightened up under Ethan's reassuring words, letting his earlier doubts fall away. He didn't know what he'd done to deserve someone as amazing as Ethan Carter seeming to care about him but he was grateful for it.

Standing on the apron later Spud anxiously watched as Jeff Hardy flew off the top rope onto Ethan's prone form, wincing at the dull thump of impact. Slipping into the ring to break up the pin he easily ignored Sting's threatening glare in the glow of satisfaction that his interference allowed Ethan to gain the upper hand. Despite the intimidation of fighting against men he'd grown up admiring he was content with ensuring he was a help to his team and _not_ a hindrance.

In only took a few moves, some underhanded cheating from the Bromans to prevent Sting from tagging in for a visibly fatigued Jeff before Ethan landed his finishing move, gaining the pinfall for their team.

Cheering Spud was forced to duck Sting's irritated swipe as he rolled into the ring to check on Jeff, joining the rest of his team backing up the ramp he met Ethan's dark eyes, flushing at his pleased smile. A flush that only increased when the bigger man threw a friendly arm around his shoulders, very aware of the press of bare skin it was all he could do to keep his pulse steady.

"Just like I said, I knew I could count on you to have my back," voice low Ethan half closed his eyes to hide the red spreading through them, warm and sweaty Spud's electric sweet scent was even stronger, straining his self-control to the limit.

"Always Sir," ducking his head bashfully Spud couldn't disguise his happiness even if he'd tried. Ignoring Robbie rolling his eyes he joined in on the discussion on where they should go to celebrate their win.


	14. Challenged

It was early in the New Year and Ethan found himself heartily sick of the way his Aunt fawned over Magnus, bad enough he had been ordered to watch out for the other man now he was forced to waste his time listening to him blow his own horn. Shifting impatiently he nudged Spud in the ribs, careful to keep his voice low, "so you really don't like Magnus?" It was strangely important to him to be sure Spud still hadn't been taken in by Magnus' charm like his Aunt.

Clapping and smiling supportively as Magnus droned on and on Spud snuck a quick look at Ethan's scowling face. "Can't stand the git Sir," he confirmed. It was worth the risk of admitting to that in the middle of a public setting to feel the tension to ease from Ethan's body. Continuing to smile he pretended not to see the suspicious glare Magnus shot them.

"Good man," throwing an arm around Spud's shoulders Ethan made sure Magnus saw the easy way the smaller man leaned into him, lips curling smugly at the almost jealous look he got in return. He was very familiar with men of Magnus' type, he had to be the centre of attention and everyone had to look up to him, even those he had little to no respect for.

Stiffening as AJ Styles music interrupted Magnus' speech Ethan released his hold on Spud and nudged him out of the ring before turning to face a flurry of angry fists. Grunting at the punch to the face, and as much as it went against his instincts he allowed AJ to toss him outside. Accepting Spud's hand up he bit back a curse when his Aunt grabbed a microphone, he knew that look on her face. Nothing good ever came from that look. Griping Spud's shoulder he stopped him from interfering, "leave it. This isn't something we want to be involved in." Keeping his voice pitched low it pleased all aspects of his nature when Spud obeyed with only a faint worried look at the ring.

"Yes Sir," pushing aside his worry Spud stood back and watched as things rapidly fell apart. It didn't take long for Magnus to disobey direct orders and accept the challenge AJ offered, topping it all off by ordering Mrs. Carter to make it happen no matter what the cost. He didn't need to see Ethan's wince to know making any sort of demand on Dixie Carter was a mistake, one he had no doubt he'd be hearing about for the rest of the night.

Hours later and nursing his third glass of wine Ethan caught a familiar mouth-watering scent. Glancing up he shifted so Spud could sit beside him, lips twitching at the way the smaller man had to hop up onto the high stools. The twitch turned into a full grin when Spud scowled and poked him in the ribs, the headache from listening to hours of his Aunt bitching about Magnus finally fading.

"I thought I might find you here Sir," gesturing to the bartender Spud ordered a rum and coke, sipping on it with a small hum of relief. For a while he'd thought he'd never escape the seemingly endless circle of complaints regarding Magnus' behaviour, only the offer to check on Ethan had finally made Mrs. Carter release him.

"Is my Aunt still complaining about our beloved Champion?" Grumbling when Spud wearily nodded Ethan sighed irritably, "she's not going to let this go anytime soon and I'm already sick of hearing about it."

"You and me both Sir," glancing around the half empty room Spud lowered his voice and leaned closer, his irritation at Dixie dwindling on breathing in Ethan's expensive cologne. "Magnus is a bloody idiot to imagine for one second he can win against a wrestler of AJ's calibre."

Snorting Ethan pushed aside the flare of jealousy at the admiration in Spud's voice when he'd said AJ's name and raised his glass, "well here's to Magnus getting what's coming to him."

Clinking glasses Spud tossed back his drink, savouring the burn of alcohol, "if only Sir, sadly your Aunt has already ordered us to ensure he wins no matter what the cost." Curling his fingers around Ethan's elbow he squeezed sympathetically at his unhappy curse, "don't worry Sir you're bound to win the title before long and then you can show Magnus what a real champion looks like."

Charmed by the conviction in Spud's voice Ethan pushed his drink aside and tugged the smaller man off the stool with him, smirking at his low grumble of protest, "come on Spud, let's get out of here and grab supper. I need some time spent in good company before I can even think about saving the Champ's bacon again." Firmly suppressing his hunger at Spud's openly pleased smile he draped his arm over the smaller man's shoulders and when Spud didn't protest the frankly possessive hold he led the way out of the hotel bar in a much better mood then he'd arrived in.


	15. Undisputed Champion

Counting slowly back from ten as Spud prattled excitedly on about their attack on Joe Ethan struggled to hang onto his temper until they were in the privacy of his locker room. Slamming the door shut he knew Spud had at last picked up on his mood when he faltered and fell quiet.

"Are you okay Sir?" Swallowing uneasily at the dark look Ethan shot him Spud straightened his spine and held his ground as the bigger man stalked towards him.

"Am I okay?" Scoffing and using his height to tower over the smaller man Ethan was reluctantly impressed when Spud didn't cower. Ignoring his flinch he reached out and grabbed Spud's arm, tugging up his sleeve with a quick jerk, his other half prowling angrily to the edge of his mind at the sight of so many bruises, "I think the question is are you okay?"

Looking down at the bruises already turning a sickly yellow Spud shivered when Ethan stroked gentle circles over the worse of the damage. Disconcerted by the wave of desire at such a simple touch he struggled to keep his voice steady, "it's only a bruise Sir, I wasn't hurt."

"But you could have been," careful not to use even a fraction of his strength Ethan pointedly wrapped his fingers around Spud's thin wrist for emphasis. "You're much smaller than Joe Spud. You shouldn't have antagonized him once he was down," he watched a storm pass through those blue eyes, fascinated as the usual warmth gave way to chilly defiance.

Glaring at the assumption his height somehow meant he was less capable Spud twisted his wrist free from Ethan's gentle grip, sick and tired of the constant struggle to prove himself. "In case you hadn't noticed I'm smaller than everyone Ethan. Getting hurt is one of the risks of being a wrestler and it's a risk I accepted a long time ago." Pulling his sleeve down to hide the bruises he grudgingly offered a compromise when Ethan didn't look any happier, "I promise I won't antagonize Joe needlessly Sir."

"I guess that will have to do," knowing it was the best he was going to get Ethan pushed aside the impulse to force Spud to be more careful and reluctantly let the subject go. Sighing he pressed his hand between Spud's shoulders and pushed him out of the room, "come on then, let's finish what we started and make sure Magnus wins his match with AJ." As always it cheered him up to see the disgust flicker across Spud's face at the champ's name before it was carefully masked.

"Yes sir," relaxing now the tension from their disagreement was fading Spud muttered low enough for only Ethan to hear, "it's not like he can win without us after all." Preening just a little at Ethan's amused laugh he ignored the curious stares they were gathering. This wouldn't be the first time he could practically see people wondering why on earth a man like Ethan Carter bothered with someone like him for.

As expected the title vs title, winner take all match between Magnus and AJ rapidly descended into chaos, following Ethan's lead Spud slipped into the ring after him as he broke up AJ's pin. Holding in his worry as Ethan was unceremoniously yanked from the ring by Sting he cautiously approached the downed AJ Styles, meeting his eyes he mouthed a silent apology before kicking him in the stomach. If he had his way it would be Magnus he was attacking, heartily sick of his fellow countryman's unbearable smugness. But life wasn't fair and his orders were clear … help Magnus win no matter the cost. Still, if he was a fraction too slow moving back after going in for second kick who was to know. Not fighting AJ's grip he allowed himself to be shoved away, cursing only when his favourite shirt ripped.

Falling out of the ring to catch his breath Spud sensed the danger only at the last second. Trying and failing to move out of Sting's way he couldn't suppress a yelp when his arm was crushed in a steel grip, flailing as he was tossed carelessly towards the steps.

Judging he'd played at being hurt long enough Ethan raised his head, straightening up just in time to catch Spud he grunted as the smaller man's weight caused him to stumble. Off balance he twisted so the smaller man landed on top, swallowing against the rising blood lust on being pressed against so much bare skin he met wide blue eyes, "you okay Spud?"

"Yes … yes, Sir," steadying his voice as Ethan's fingers brushed lightly and oh so warm against his side Spud quickly pulled away. Ignoring his racing pulse he accepted the hand that helped him to his feet, ripping his attention away from Ethan's slow smile and returning it to the ring he was surprised to find Roode had joined the fray. Wincing at the vicious body slam he joined Ethan and the Bromans in distracting Sting and Joe until it was too late, the bell singling the end of the match with Magnus's hand raised victoriously.

Allowing himself a moment to regret the part he'd played in screwing AJ over Spud forced a cheerful smile, obeying Ethan's gentle tug he climbed into the ring and congratulated Magnus. Smile becoming fixed as the other man ignored him, holding up both belts as if he was some sort of conquering hero. It was only Ethan's slight eyeroll that had him seeing the humour in the situation, relaxing even as Dixie came out to rancorous jeers from the pissed off crowd. He could handle anything as long as Ethan was by his side.


	16. Party in the Club

The popular downtown nightclub was hot and crowded, the loud pounding music making it difficult to think let alone hold a conversation. Throwing back his fifth shot of whiskey Spud glowered as Magnus continued to celebrate his victory like he was the greatest wrestler of all time. Gesturing to the bartender for another shot he prayed the alcohol would soon numb his irritation, the situation not helped by the fact he'd barely seen Ethan all night. Sneering at the flock of groupies fawning over Magnus and his title belts he turned back to his drink, mood finally improving after the sixth shot. By the seventh his legs were bouncing with the music and he willingly let a well-endowed red head drag him out onto the dance floor, losing himself in the hot press of bodies.

Seeing his Aunt out to the waiting car service Ethan briefly debated leaving as well, the last thing his temper needed was to hear Magnus brag one more time about how he single-handedly won against AJ Styles, considering just how many wrestlers his Aunt had to pay off to secure that victory. Sadly his conscious wouldn't let him abandon Spud to Magnus' not so tender mercies, at least not with the way he'd last seen the smaller man drinking.

Pushing the door open he passed Magnus, rolling his eyes in disgust at the bevy of scantily clad women surrounding him. Wanting nothing more than to grab Spud and head back to the hotel Ethan massaged his temples and swore at finding the bar empty. Scanning the crowd he easily spotted the bright gleam of Spud's hair on the dance floor, a spark of dark rage stirring at the way some red-headed tramp had her hands all over him.

Slipping through the crowd Ethan made it to Spud's side just in time to steady him, roughly yanking him away from the clinging red-head he barely restrained himself to glaring until she flounced away with a pout. Looking down his stomach dipped pleasantly at Spud's adoring smile, urging him closer with a firm arm around his back as the upbeat music transitioned to a slow song the rage drained away to be replaced by _hunger_. "You are completely drunk aren't you?"

"Maybe just a tad Sir," breathing in the earthy scent of Ethan's expensive cologne Spud pressed his aching head against the bigger man's chest. Fingers twisting into the other man's soft shirt he relaxed as Ethan's chest rumbled pleasantly under his ear with laughter.

"You British and your penchant for understatement," utterly enchanted by how perfectly Spud fit in his arms Ethan closed his eyes and breathed in the other man's scent. Fangs dropping he nuzzled along the slender length of Spud's neck, willpower strained to the breaking point when Spud gave a pleased hum and shifted to give him better access. Groaning at the flood of sheer _hunger_ he snagged his fingers into Spud's belt hoops, dragging him closer as the smaller man sagged into his embrace, completely oblivious to the danger he was in. Despite common sense screaming this was a terrible idea, too public and too risky the bloodlust was too strong.

Easing a knee between Spud's legs at the same time scrapping his fangs along the tempting flutter of his pulse Ethan growled at Spud's startled moan. Hardening instantly his self-control took another hit when Spud pushed even closer, rising on tiptoe and with desperate hands clutching his shoulders the smaller man was all but riding his thigh. Red eclipsing his vision he was a breath away from sinking his teeth in when a heavy hand landed on his shoulder.

"Well don't you two look cozy. I do have to wonder what your dear Aunt D would think of such behavior Ethan." Magnus' smug voice grated across his ears and it was a hard-fought battle not to rip the interrupting fool's throat out. With an effort that led to his gums aching Ethan forced his fangs to retreat as he lifted his head and grudgingly pulled back, temper cooled slightly by Spud's low grumble.

"Why, are you jealous Magnus?" Vindictively pleased as anger darkened the other man's expression Ethan kept a hand on Spud's arm as the smaller man straightened up to his full height and then promptly stumbled.

Scowling Spud listed into Ethan's side despite his best efforts to stand on his own, vaguely aware Magnus had interrupted something important. "Jealous he can't bloody win on his own maybe," glaring spitefully as Magnus sneered back he would have launched himself at the bigger man if Ethan didn't have a solid grip on his arm.

"Whoa there tiger, I think it might be time I get you back to the hotel," turning his back dismissively on Magnus Ethan paid no attention to the other man's angry curses. Securing a firm grip around Spud's waist he elbowed his way through the crowded dance floor until he reached the exit. Gesturing to his waiting driver he helped Spud into the backseat, keeping a firm hand on his arm as the car's motion caused the smaller man to groan pitifully, complexion rapidly paling. "We'll be back soon," voice low he rubbed circles across Spud's knuckles until they were pulling up in front of the hotel.

Clinging gratefully to the arm Ethan offered Spud managed to make it up to their suite without stumbling or embarrassing himself too much. The haze of alcohol was starting to lift and all he wanted to do was collapse in bed and sleep for a week.

Throwing his wallet and cellphone on the coffee table Ethan snagged the back of Spud's shirt as he moved past. Ignoring the pout the other man turned on him he reached up and delicately unraveled what he knew to be Spud's favourite rainbow bowtie, fangs half dropping as the smaller man hummed and leaned into him. "Yell if you need any more help getting undressed," teasing he smirked as the sleepy enjoyment on Spud's face shifted to annoyance. Chuckling he pushed Spud towards his room and turned to flick the coffee maker on, "come back out when you're done. We need to get some coffee inside you if you don't want Aunt D to know how much you drank. She does not tolerate drunkenness in the slightest." Neatly rolling up the slip of silk he absently tucked it into his pocket.

"Yes sir," sighing and resisting the urge to whine that he just wanted to sleep Spud dragged himself to his room and changed into a pair of soft jogging pants and an old ragged t-shirt. Shuffling out into the main room he grudgingly accepted the mug of black coffee Ethan shoved at him.

"Maybe next time you'll know not to drink so much," settling down on the couch Ethan smothered a grin at Spud's very British grumbles, only understanding about one in every five words.

Curling his legs under him Spud rested his head against the back of the couch with a groan, "sorry Sir, Magnus is just so bloody annoying. Besides," turning his head he met Ethan's warm dark gaze with a faint grin, "I didn't earn the nickname Rockstar because I can sing." Shifting so he could inch his cold toes under Ethan's thigh he sniggered at the bigger man's hissed protest. Wiggling his feet in further he didn't fail to notice the fact Ethan made no move to shove him away despite his grimace.

Rolling his eyes Ethan grabbed the blanket on the back of the couch and tossed it over the smaller man, "just drink your coffee rockstar." Tucking the blanket in securely he turned the tv on while the other man choked down his drink with a disgusted pout. With the noise of a movie providing a low drone he surreptitiously watched Spud's eyes got heavier and heavier until he was forced to rescue the mug as it fell.

Breathing out Ethan finally dared to release his iron control, red immediately swimming over his vision as Spud's warm scent made his heart race with hunger, his other half still viciously angry at being denied when they'd been so close. "Dammit," dragging his gaze away from the vulnerable curve of Spud's neck he pinched the bridge of his nose. Fighting against the desire to drink the other man's blood continued to make his life a lot more complicated. It didn't help he was positive Spud would be more than willing to let him, if only his own personal code didn't dictate he'd have to wipe the smaller man's memory. Something he was determined never to do.


	17. Stirring the Pot

Strolling through the corridors Ethan's smirk deepened at each disapproving look sent his way, cheating to win his match against Sting may have been underhanded but there was no arguing it had been effective. Spud had done an excellent job as the special referee, he'd have to find some way of rewarding him. A nice dinner out perhaps. Spotting Magnus lurking outside his locker room door with an entirely too sly smile on his face he controlled a sudden pinch of worry, steps slowing he raised an eyebrow and waited for the other man to speak, letting his lips curl up slightly at the Champ's scowl.

"I suggest you teach your boy to watch his smart mouth before it gets him in trouble," sneering when Ethan only rolled his eyes in response Magnus moved to shove past him, surprised to find he was stopped by a grip he had no chance of breaking. He never would have guessed Dixie's rich, pretty boy nephew had that kind of strength.

Jaw clenching Ethan squeezed just hard enough to cause a grimace of discomfort to cross Magnus' face, growling roughly, "and I suggest you leave Spud alone so I don't have to break your arm." Satisfied at the flare of genuine fear in the other man's eyes he let Magnus pull away after a pointed moment of useless struggle.

"Careful Ethan, I don't think your precious Aunt D would be happy you're threatening me," blustering to hide the edge of fear Magnus was careful to keep his distance.

Shrugging Ethan flicked a piece of lint off his jacket with such bored indifference he heard Magnus' teeth grind together, "why don't you go crying to her then Champ, see how far you get." Turning his back in clear dismissal he opened the door to his locker room and stepped through, sighing at finding Spud bustling around cleaning.

Slowly and methodically putting the room to rights in an attempt to work off the rage from Magnus' barrage of filthy accusations Spud barely glanced up when the door opened, only pausing when a large hand touched him gently on the shoulder and directed him towards the sofa.

"What did he say to you?" Despite the somber mood Ethan grinned faintly at the way Spud flushed a dull red and wouldn't meet his eyes. Ever since the other man had awoken last week from his drunken spree cuddled into him on the couch Spud had been endearingly embarrassed around him even as they'd planned tonight's events.

"Nothing repeatable Sir," biting his lip Spud snuck a glance at the bigger man through his eyelashes, cursing at the stubborn look on his face. There was no way he wanted to admit Magnus had accused him of letting Ethan fuck him just to further his career. And certainly not while he _knew _something had occurred between them last week even if he couldn't remember what.

"Come on Spud, you can tell me," when the smaller man still hesitated Ethan strangled the first impulse to make him. Breathing through his frustration he smiled reassuringly, squeezing Spud's knee lightly, "I won't hold anything he said against you, I can already guess it had to do with last week at the bar. He's been pretty obnoxious about it."

Mouth pulling down in a resigned frown at Ethan's insistence Spud drew courage from the supportive words. "He accused me of sleeping with you to get … opportunities," rushing the explanation he glared when Ethan only laughed.

"Well I'm certainly not worried about you taking advantage of me," smirking at the crinkle of confusion between Spud's eyes as he decided whether or not to be offended Ethan nudged him playfully in the ribs, "you did already sleep with me last week after all."

"That doesn't bloody count," hissing Spud flushed bright red as Ethan waggled his eyebrows knowingly, "you know that's not what he meant Sir." Sighing he squared his shoulders, gathered his nerve and met Ethan's dark eyes, "what really happened last week Sir? I ... I didn't try anything inappropriate, did I?" He didn't know if he could handle it if he lost Ethan's trust because he'd hit on him while drunk.

Sensing Spud's worry was very real Ethan slid his hand around the back of the smaller man's neck, subduing the flicker of rage at Magnus for the trouble he'd stirred up in order to keep his voice gentle, "nothing happened Spud, nothing bad anyway," he corrected when the other man just looked at him doubtfully. "We danced, then I helped you back to the hotel." 'And I almost lost control and drank your blood in public, something that's never happened before', he continued silently, feeling familiar bloodlust raise its head as Spud relaxed trustingly into his grip. Needing to change the subject before he gave in Ethan teased lightly, "though maybe I should be offended you don't remember, after all I had to fight my way through a rather determined red-head to reach you."

Fear melting away Spud laughed quietly, allowing himself to finally enjoy the feeling of Ethan's thumb stroking soothingly against his skin. "Well thank you for rescuing me Sir," sighing he again cursed the blank parts of his memory, he had the feeling dancing with Ethan would have been something to remember.

"Anytime Spud," letting go, much to the displeasure of his other half Ethan pulled a scrap of silk out of his pocket and held out a bright blue bow tie. "I rescued this from the fan who caught it, figured you might want it back." Smiling at the delight on Spud's face he knew the smaller man was barely refraining himself from hugging him and it changed the sharp pang of hunger into something warmer, deeper. "I don't want you to pay any attention to Magnus, you're my friend Spud. I trust you." Slipping the bowtie around Spud's neck he neatly fastened it, gaze falling to the pulse beating so temptingly his voice dropped huskily, "believe me, there's not many people I can say that about."

Not even trying to fight the impulse this time Spud threw his arms around Ethan's neck, sucking in a slow breath as a large hand swept warm and steady along his back, "thank you Sir." Secure in the bigger man's embrace Magnus' vicious words lost their icy tipped grip.


	18. Tiger

Pushing the door to his dressing room open Ethan forced the red from his vision at finding Spud staring vacantly at the wall, looking young and so painfully uncertain he wanted to break something. "I can talk to Aunt D about cancelling your match if you'd like," knowing Spud would say no before he made the offer his protective instincts flared at the smaller man's resigned grimace.

"I couldn't ask that of you Sir. Besides your Aunt already has enough on her mind concerning the new mystery investor without worrying about me as well." Forcing his thoughts away from how angry Joe was still likely to be after their stunt with the wrench a few weeks ago Spud cheered up a little at the knowledge Ethan cared enough to both worry and check in on him.

Subduing the part of himself that wanted to force Spud to forfeit the match Ethan settled for nodding his understanding and moved closer. Breathing in Spud's warm scent he tipped his face up to meet worried eyes, "I know you can take on Joe, you are a tiger after all." Voice low he touched Spud's tiger print bowtie, lips turned up in a faint smile as the other man's heart rate audible jumped, "go out there and show Joe how _fierce_ you are." Pleasure darkened the warm blue of Spud's eyes and a tendril of power tried to sneak out to brush up against the smaller man, hastily strengthening his control Ethan broke the moment before he gave into the raging desire to _taste_ Spud's blood.

Released from the spell of Ethan's words Spud dug his fingernails into his palms and straightened his back, the determination not to let Ethan down burning through his worry. "Thank you, Sir, I'll handle Joe. You don't need to worry."

"That's my tiger," giving into his own need Ethan leaned down and kissed Spud's forehead, satisfaction curled up his spine at the way the other man shivered under his touch. As difficult as it was to deny his desire to feed from Spud, he was coming to enjoy their slowly growing closeness. For the first time in his life he considered what it might be like to have a real relationship, perhaps he could even give Vessel bonds another try.

Carrying the warmth of Ethan's faith in him to the ring Spud fought back his nerves as Joe glared, pacing impatiently it was pretty clear the other man still held a grudge. Gathering his courage he struck the second the bell rang, drop kicking Joe's knee and leaping to his feet to repeat the maneuver until the bigger man was on the mat. Barely pausing to enjoy that victory he climbed to the top rope, his only chance now was to continue attacking. Leaping through the air with the full intention of using his own body weight to further damage Joe's knee he had nowhere to go when the other man unexpectedly surged upright and snatched him out of mid-air.

Groaning in pain as he was brutally slammed on the mat Spud blinked up at the ceiling, struggling to draw in the will to move through the agony spreading through his back he grunted when large hands easily flipped him onto his stomach. Those same hands wrenched his ankle cruelly to the side, forcing him to tap, and the shame at how quickly he'd lost was almost enough to overpower the throbbing pain in his ankle. Rolling out of the ring he grudgingly accepted the ref's help, limping to the back as Joe celebrated to the fans cheering behind him.

The dressing room was quiet, noise from the next match barely making it through the thick door. A blessed relief after his disastrous encounter with Joe, the humiliation of how fast it had gone downhill had him twisting his fingers along the seam of the pillow he clutched. After all the time and effort Ethan had spent trying to make him believe in himself the knowledge he'd let the bigger man down so completely was an icy lump lodged in his throat. No one had ever called him fierce before and he dreaded what Ethan must think now. It was that thought that kept his head down when the door opened and the couch dipped under a heavy weight. Biting his lip Spud risked a glance up, expecting contempt on Ethan's face and not the warm sympathy he received. Blowing out a breath he tried for a smile, "I guess I'm not much of a tiger am I Sir?"

Tugging on Spud's injured leg Ethan waited until the smaller man gave in with a slight pout and swung his legs across his lap, "oh I wouldn't say that Spud. I thought you were pretty fierce out there. I don't think Joe expected you to fight back at all." It had in fact taken all his self-control not to run out and destroy Joe, only Aunt D pulling him into a meeting had stayed his hand.

"Not that it did any bloody good," wincing as Ethan pressed an icepack to his ankle his eyes fluttered shut when warm fingers slid under his tights to rub circles against his skin in apology. Relaxing into the soothing touch Spud flung an arm over his face, voice muffled, "and now because of Joe I won't be able to come out later as your Aunt ordered. And god knows Magnus needs all the help he can get against Sting, especially since Sting is fighting for his job." Sighing he moved his arm enough to look over at Ethan, "she's not going to be happy that I didn't do my part."

"You let me handle my Aunt," digging his fingers into Spud's tense muscles Ethan bit his lip at the barely audible moan of pleasure from the smaller man, hunger flaring at the sound. Firmly controlling the urge to bite he focused on Spud's worried expression, not letting his eyes linger on all the bare skin on display, "don't worry Spud, I have a plan to make sure Magnus wins and Sting is out of a job. All I need you to do is make reservations to my favourite restaurant so we can celebrate."

"Yes sir," unable to suppress a sigh of disappointment when Ethan pulled away Spud flushed under the other man's knowing smirk. Ethan was at the door before he could be sure his voice would be steady, "good luck out there Sir. Be careful."

"Don't worry Spud, I'll be back soon," leaving Spud behind while injured was more difficult than he expected, making him even more determined to help Magnus win as quickly as possible so he could get back. It didn't take much to bribe the Bromans into running interference for Magnus, irritated but not surprised when Joe ran out to try and even the odds Ethan left them to Joe's not so tender mercy. Shifting his focus to Sting the Bromans at least lasted long enough to allow him to break up several pins, cursing Magnus' incompetence under his breath.

Allowing himself to be manhandled by Joe Ethan pulled his responding punch just in time, watching in grim satisfaction as Joe folded in half with an agonized grunt. It felt good to get at least a little revenge for Spud, his pleasure increasing when Magnus at last managed to pin Sting long enough for a three count as Joe was still struggling to get his feet.

Sneering at Joe he rolled in the ring and kicking the ref out he raised Magnus's hand, not surprised when his Aunt immediately came out to celebrate, ripping up Sting's contract and tossing the pieces in Joe's scowling face. Reassured by her happy smile he didn't even mind as her attention shifted to Magnus. With Spud off the hook for not helping and an enjoyable night out to look forward to not even Magnus' smug arrogance could dampen his mood.


	19. The Investor

Holding his aching face Spud held in a whimper when Ethan pulled his hand away and pressed an ice pack to his cheek. "Perhaps antagonizing the Wolves wasn't the best plan," amused at Spud's pout Ethan tucked several strands of blond hair back in place, fingers lingering in the soft thickness. Ever since Spud had gotten hurt last week he'd been allowing himself to give into the growing closeness between them and the pleasure at how easily the smaller man accepted his touch had him practically purring.

"I had to try something Sir, after failing to beat Joe last week and not being able to help you with Magnus. Especially since your Aunt is becoming increasingly anxious about that new bloody investor," holding onto the icepack Spud slumped on the couch, discreetly admiring how good Ethan looked in a red dress shirt and white blazer as he joined him.

"I know Aunt D can be pretty demanding, but you have to take care of yourself," sighing at Spud's faint grumble of disagreement Ethan curled his hand around the back of his neck and squeezed lightly. Breathing in Spud's warm scent he struggled against a wave of possessiveness not at all helped when the smaller man melted into his hold, "I don't enjoy seeing you injured all the time."

"I'll be fine Sir, you don't need to worry about me," touched by the real affection in Ethan's voice Spud caught a glimpse of the clock and reluctantly pulled away from the other man's warmth. "You however, need to get ready for your tag match with Magnus." Discarding the ice pack he stood and bustled away to get Ethan's gear ready, grinning at the bigger man's disgruntled cursing behind him.

"I want you to stay in the back," despite the pang of guilt at the look of hurt on Spud's face Ethan nonetheless held firm. "I can work with Magnus long enough to win this match." Taking his duffle bag he waited patiently for Spud's unhappy nod of agreement, squeezing his shoulder in apology, "good man, we'll grab a bite to eat afterwards."

"Yes Sir," dropping down on the couch when Ethan left to get changed Spud resignedly pressed the ice pack to his cheek. As much as he didn't trust Magnus he did have faith in Ethan's ability to win against both Kurt and Joe. Still there could be no harm in going down to the gorilla position to watch.

Giving Ethan a five-minute head start he made his way to gorilla, nervously straightening his bowtie at Dixie's presence. Joining her in front of the monitors he smiled tentatively, repressing a sigh at her cool greeting, she'd been rather displeased with him after his failure with the wolves. By the time the match was won he'd forgotten his nervousness, following Dixie when she headed out to the ring. Aware of the many eyes on him he did his duty and checked on Magnus first, keeping his temper firmly in check when he was shoved aside with a sneer. Free to do what he wanted in the first place he turned to Ethan, steadying the bigger man as he stumbled upright.

"Didn't I tell you to stay in the back," grumbling as he pretended to be more dazed than he was Ethan pulled Spud closer, he hadn't missed the way Magnus had shoved him. Clearly the other man was still pissed he hadn't gotten anywhere snitching on them to Aunt D. Not that he hadn't since been treated to a lecture, or five on proper behaviour towards employees. She'd been especially displeased when he'd confessed to almost biting Spud in public and he very wisely kept quiet on how often he came close to losing control. He wouldn't put it past his Aunt to fire Spud just to keep him away from the smaller man, not that it would work but he knew it would crush Spud's dreams of wrestling in America.

"I did as you ordered Sir, I stayed away until the match was won," clenching his teeth as Magnus posed with the belt Spud dug his fingers into Ethan's arm, struggling against the urge to punch him. Since the day Magnus had cornered him and tried to make him ashamed about his relationship with Ethan all he wanted was to see him taken down a peg or two.

Following the direction of Spud's glare straight to where Magnus was celebrating Ethan curled his fingers around his wrist and tugged him off to the side and out of the way, "good boy." The huff of annoyance he got in return had his lips twitching in fondness, unfortunately his Aunt ruined the moment by grabbing a live mic and demanding the mystery investor come out. Ranting and screaming in a way he knew would make the rest of the night hell no matter what happened next.

Before he could even think about moving in to try and calm her down the lights dimmed and music started to play. In the split second it took to recognize the man that came out as MVP he had pushed Spud protectively behind him, taking no heed of the smaller man's mutters that he couldn't see.

Grateful when his Aunt at least waited long enough for the show to go off the air before sweeping up the ramp to confront MVP Ethan snagged Spud's arm and followed a few steps behind. He had to suppress a growl when Magnus pushed past them the moment they reached the curtain, knocking into his shoulder with what he was sure the other man thought was forceful blow.

"You need to be more careful out there Ethan, your inexperience almost cost us the match," using his extra height to his advantage Magnus looked down his nose at Ethan, patting his title belt lovingly. "Luckily you were in the ring with such a veteran as myself." Draping an arm over Spud's shoulders he lowered his voice conspiratorially, "isn't that right Spud?" Squeezing warningly as the smaller tensed and tried to pull away he nodded cheerfully at Dixie when she paused in her intense conversation to favour them with an approving smile.

Scowling Spud waited for Dixie and MVP to turn the corner before elbowing Magnus in the gut and forcing the taller man to let go with a wince, "what I saw was how bloody lucky you were Mr. Carter was there to save your arse from the ankle lock. I don't think Madame would be impressed seeing her new champion submit so soon." Sneering he didn't back down when Magnus took a threatening step closer.

Spotting the gleam of danger in Ethan's eyes Magnus checked his first impulse to wipe the look of contempt off of Spud's face with his fist, annoyance flaring at the smugness Ethan fairly radiated. As if getting someone like Rockstar Spud on his side was some sort of achievement. Lip curling in disgust he glared down at his fellow countryman, "don't get too cocky mate, you won't always have a Carter around to back you up." Grinning sharply as sudden doubt wiped the sneer off of Spud's face he straightened to his full height and strolled away with a confidant swagger.

"Bloody pillock," muttering curses Spud glared half-heartedly over his shoulder as Ethan laughed, the husky sound sending a jolt of lust down his spine not helped at all by the large hand that grasped the back of his neck and pushed him forwards.

"Thank you for standing up for me," at Spud's embarrassed shrug Ethan slid his hand along the smooth curve of his back, guiding him through the crowded hallway a twinge of red swam across his vision as Spud leaned into him. It really _had_ been rather impressive the way Spud had leapt to his defence, orders from his Aunt aside the smaller man was usually careful not to cause any offence. "My own fierce tiger," Spud's flush and muffled groan at the teasing filled him with such hunger it was all he could do not to press the smaller man against the wall and sink his fangs in until they were both drunk with pleasure. Firmly quelling the urge he held the locker room door open, glancing down his bloodlust mellowed into amusement at Spud's bright red face, "what do you say we ditch Magnus and Aunt D to go grab a bite to eat?"

Ducking his head Spud nodded, grateful his voice emerged only a little husky, "I'd like that Sir." Hastily gathering their luggage he did his best not to watch the way Ethan's muscles flexed as he grabbed a change of clothes, pulse still racing from how the other man had looked at him as if he was … important. It was an intoxicating feeling that only cemented the fact he was falling head over heels for Ethan Carter the Third.


	20. MVP's Influence

"Nice office Dixie," putting his feet up on the coffee table and making himself at home MVP grinned at the nearly identically grimaces on his companions faces. "I don't have much time I'm afraid so why don't we get right to the reason why you asked me here."

Shoving down her irritation Dixie forced an easy smile, "I wanted to let you know I've arranged a match between Ethan and Gunner where if Gunner is pinned Ethan will get his briefcase for the World championship match." After her nephew's efforts on her behalf he really did deserve a reward. Plus she was certain she could convince him not to use the contract while her handpicked Champion had the belt.

"Well now that hardly seems fair," stroking his chin MVP pretended to ponder the situation, in the end he didn't care if Dixie's spoiled nephew got preferential treatment, right now it was time to flex a little of his own power. It was just a bonus if it annoyed Dixie. "How about we put Ethan's briefcase on the line as well?"

"Absolutely not," digging her fingers into the couch cushions Dixie controlled her anger, keeping her expression pleasant but firm, "you have no right to interfere in my decisions."

Nonchalantly fixing his cuffs MVP smiled innocently, "I think you'll find I have all the rights I need, but just for that crack I think I'll make it a ladder match." His gaze flicked briefly to Spud's grumble of displeasure, amused by the shorter man's glare. It hadn't taken him long to notice the relationship between Dixie's so-called Chief-of-Staff and her nephew seemed … unexpectedly close.

"There is no way I'm going to allow that," clenching her teeth Dixie stood and gestured towards the door, wishing Spud wasn't here so she could force MVP to submit to her will. But so far MVP had been almost suspiciously careful not to be alone with her. "I'd like you to leave now."

"Sure Dixie, I'll leave but I'm afraid the match _will _go ahead with my changes," getting to his feet MVP straightened his tie and calmly met Dixie's scowl, for a second he could have sworn her eyes had flashed red. Dismissing it he smiled cheerfully, pausing with his hand on the door, "oh, and it'll now be a tag match, Magnus and Ethan can team together and I'll join Gunner … to ensure nothing underhanded happens."

"You can't do that," unable to keep quiet any longer Spud ignored Dixie's gesture to be quiet, he'd held his tongue as long as he could, watching as the odds kept stacking up against Ethan until he had to say something.

"Spud, Spud, Spud," shaking his head MVP sighed sorrowfully while making a note he might be able to use the smaller man against Ethan. Or vice versa. _If_ a man like Ethan Carter was capable of caring about someone other than himself. "I admire your loyalty to the Carter's but I'm afraid you'll find I can do that. In fact, I think I'll make another match. You vs me, if you think you're up for that."

Flushing in anger at the mocking tone in the other man's voice Spud raised his chin, "I accept." Breathing out slowly as MVP left with a jaunty wave he summoned a smile when Dixie patted his shoulder.

"Thank you for trying to stand up to MVP darling, I do believe he is going to be quite the thorn in our sides," already turning away at Spud's low murmur of agreement Dixie grabbed her phone and texted her nephew the changes to his match. As much as she hated putting him in the position, for at least the moment her hands were tied.

Facing MVP in the ring Spud smothered his anger at the arrogance in which the other man dismissed him as a threat, no matter what offense he mounted he was over powered with humiliating ease. Frustrated he faked a drop kick, jumping into a sling blade at the last second he grinned down in satisfaction at MVP's groaning form.

Rolling to his feet and massaging his neck MVP huffed out a laugh, "not bad Spud, it appears I underestimated you." Taking advantage the second his opponents expression registered confusion he grabbed Spud's arm and back dropped the shorter man over his shoulder, purposefully snapping a submission hold on the ankle he'd watched Joe injure two weeks ago.

Cursing the sharp blaze of pain from his barely healed ankle Spud slapped his hand against the mat, glaring at MVP's low laugh he quickly slid from the ring. Flushing uncomfortably under the crowds cheering he limped to the back and beelined for his locker room only to pause on spotting Ethan leaning against the wall. Unable to meet the other man's eyes he shuffled in after him, wincing at the pointed look to his ankle. He'd managed to hide how much trouble his ankle still caused him since his match with Joe but he had a feeling the jig was up now.

"Sorry Sir, I wanted to pay MVP back for interfering in your match, but it appears I didn't have much luck," resisting the urge to continue apologizing Spud allowed Ethan to tug him over to the couch. Biting his lip against a grunt of pain as the other man silently applied an ice pack to his ankle.

"Tell me Spud, how long have you been hiding your ankle still hurts?" It didn't take his superior hearing picking up the jump in Spud's heartrate to sense the smaller man's guilt, it was written all over his face. Massaging his forehead Ethan forced back a swell of anger, he had no real claim over Spud but the animal side of his nature was prowling at the edges of his control, angry at the idea his … friend had hidden an injury from him.

Swallowing dryly at the anger in Ethan's voice Spud hesitated, "I didn't want you to worry Sir. It really wasn't anything, I promise I had it checked out and rested it exactly like the Doctor ordered." Holding his breath he shivered when Ethan's hand curled around his ankle, careful fingers prodded lightly and he slowly relaxed as the anger in the other man's dark eyes faded.

"Tell me next time," eyes narrowing at Spud's reluctant murmur of agreement Ethan resolved to keep a close eye on the smaller man. Checking the time he reluctantly relinquished his hold, standing to grab his gear his mood improved at Spud's slight grumble when he moved away, "I have a match to prepare for. Aunt D mentioned she wanted to see you once you're dressed."

"Of course, Sir, good luck tonight," cautiously putting weight on his ankle and very aware Ethan had turned to watch Spud consciously refrained from limping despite the sting of pain. Collecting a change of clothes he ducked into the bathroom, unsurprised to find Ethan had left by the time he'd showered and dressed. Trudging to Dixie's office he held back a sigh when she ordered him to complete several small, completely unnecessary tasks. The disapproval on her face showed quite clearly her opinion on him having lost his match against MVP and instead of being allowed to sit with her as Ethan's match played on the tv he was only able to catch snatches.

It was Dixie's low curse that alerted him Ethan had lost his match, and his briefcase. Stomach dropping in worry all he wanted to do was go to Ethan and make sure he was okay but before he could even open his mouth to request a break Dixie was snapping at him to get her a coffee from her favourite café. Biting back his first impulse to tell her to get her own coffee he settled for nodding. Hurrying from the room he hoped he'd at least bump into Ethan along the way, sending him a text when there was no sign of him. Keeping an eye on his phone it was a nerve-racking five-minute drive to the café, disappointed at not hearing anything he held onto the hope he'd see Ethan in his Aunt's office only to be disappointed again. Risking another text, he barely had time to worry about the lack of response under the amount of paperwork Dixie buried him under.

Groaning Spud flung a pillow over his head in an attempt to drown out the persistent knocking on his front door. It was well past midnight and he'd barely gotten any sleep after Dixie had insisted he stay until the ring was completely dissembled. MVP was already proving himself as a man willing to do anything to disrupt Dixie's plans and unfortunately Ethan had been the one to bear the full brunt of tonight's damage while he hadn't been able to do a single thing to help. Worse of all he _still_ hadn't gotten a response to any of his texts, it was the worry for Ethan more than anything that kept him awake.

Swearing he finally tossed the covers aside, stumbling through his darkened apartment he flung the door open with a scowl, "Sir?" Mouth falling open he hastily stepped back when Ethan pushed past him without a word. Closing the door he squinted at the darkened figure, "you, ah, you do know it's really late right?" Turning to flick the lights on he jumped as strong fingers curled around his wrist.

"Leave them off," ordering brusquely Ethan sighed at Spud's confused frown and pushed the smaller man towards the couch. "I'm sorry for dropping in on you so late. It's been a bit of a crazy night and I have a pounding headache."

Worry deepening at the tenseness in Ethan's voice Spud was quick to wave the apology off, "don't worry about it Sir, you know you're always welcome here. I had hoped to catch you earlier anyway." There was enough light coming in through the windows to see the exhaustion on Ethan's face and touching him gently on the arm he pushed him down on the couch, "are you okay Sir?"

Flinging his arm over his face Ethan huffed out a bitter laugh, "you mean other than losing my brief case to Gunner because of Magnus's incompetence?" Taking a deep breath of Spud's scent helped soothe his temper even as he had to tighten control over his hunger. Sighing he shifted to make room for the smaller man to sit next to him, "plus Aunt D has been in a terrible mood due to MVP. She is not taking sharing her company well at all, Serg was barely able to convince her to spend the rest of the week at their cabin."

"So that's why I got an email not to show up until Monday," stifling a yawn Spud propped his head up on his arm. In the cool darkness with Ethan's body heat seeping through his pajama's it was a struggle to keep his eyes open.

Turning his head Ethan smiled as he took note of the way Spud's hair stuck out wildly, a momentary pang of guilt hitting him at having woken him out of a sound sleep. "Would you mind if I stay here tonight? I've had about as much of Aunt D's estate as I can handle."

"Of course not Sir," biting his lip Spud smoothed his fingers across the couch's worn fabric, peering up at Ethan with a timid smile, "I ah, don't have a spare room but you can take my bed, I can sleep out here on the couch. It's pretty small and well, I am a fair amount shorter than you Sir."

"Nonsense I can't put you out of your own bed," shrugging Spud's concern aside Ethan eyed the couch, he'd certainly spent the night in worse places. "Unless," studying Spud's curious expression he stood and pulled the smaller man upright, steading him as he swayed tiredly, "you're willing to share. It wouldn't be the first time we've slept together after all." Smirking at the way Spud flushed bright red, visible even in the dark he couldn't help but laugh when Spud promptly thumped him on the arm.

"Honestly Sir," huffing to hide how much he liked the idea of sharing a bed Spud hesitated only long enough not to seem too eager before giving in. "I hope you don't hog the covers."

"I've never had any complaints," voice full of innuendo Ethan chuckled when Spud stumbled briefly, clamping down on his desire to test the smaller man's reaction to doing more than simply sleeping. Following Spud into his room he carefully folded his jacket and slipped his shirt off, amused and a little turned on by how the other man tried not to watch, making a big production of settling in and turning his back. With Spud's heart racing and his other half prowling to the edge of his mind he judged it prudent to leave his pants on. Slipping into bed, surrounded by Spud's scent he relaxed, headache finally fading he fell asleep to the soothing sound of the other man's slowing heartbeat.


	21. Wolves

Stealing a short break from Dixie and MVP's constant demands Spud searched the arena for Ethan, still angry at himself for failing to stop the Wolves from going to the ring earlier. And of course, with the way the last few weeks had been going it was Ethan who had again paid for his failure, attacked by Davey and Eddie when Magnus bailed on him.

Easing the locker room door open Spud poked his head in, disappointed at finding the room in complete darkness he was about to pull back and leave when Ethan's annoyed voice called out, "come in Spud. Don't turn on the lights."

"Headache Sir?" Sympathy colouring his voice at Ethan's grunt of assent Spud inched into the room. Squinting into the darkness, arms held out he let out an embarrassingly high-pitched squeak when a large hand wrapped around his wrist and tugged him forward. Stumbling he landed against a warm, firm surface, realizing with a flood of heat he was all but straddling Ethan. "Sorry Sir," breathlessly trying to scramble away a spark of lust flared as his hand landed high on Ethan's thigh. The large muscle flexed under his fingers and biting back a groan he tried his best to ignore the impulse to slide his hand an inch higher, the situation not at all helped by Ethan's husky laughter and absolute lack of assistance.

Finally taking pity Ethan griped Spud's arm and shifted him off his lap, as much as he was enjoying having the smaller man pressed close he only had so much self-control. Taking in the other man's flustered expression he patted Spud's knee, making sure his tone was appropriately casual, "don't worry about it Spud, no harm done." Squeezing lightly before letting go he wisely changed the subject, "I've been sitting here fighting the urge to track down Magnus and throw him to the wolves."

"Sounds like a brilliant idea to me Sir," relaxing into the peaceful darkness Spud turned his head towards the darker blob that was Ethan and took a deep breath of his earthy scent. Eyes closing as his own headache finally eased he couldn't help suggesting, tone only half-joking, "maybe we should let Gunner win the belt off him tonight."

"Hmm, as much as I'd love to watch him fail Aunt D would not be happy. She's been on my back all week about making sure nothing happens to her precious Champion," sneering Ethan was grateful the darkness hid the red creeping across his vision, she's also been nagging him about the night he hadn't come home, suspecting he'd spent it at Spud's but not outright accusing him of it.

"They didn't hurt you did they Sir?" Grateful Ethan couldn't see his worried expression Spud held his breath, he'd never wanted to hurt anyone more than when Magnus had left Ethan to face the Wolves alone.

Touched by the open concern on Spud's face Ethan squeezed his shoulder, "you don't need to worry, they didn't hurt me at all. Only my pride," he smiled ruefully at Spud's amused snort.

"Well Sir I'm pretty sure your pride can withstand …" breaking off with a gasp Spud tried to squirm away as Ethan's fingers unerringly found every ticklish spot along his ribs. "Stop, Sir … please," laughing breathlessly he clutched Ethan's arms, futilely trying to hold off the bigger man.

"Say Uncle," grinning fiercely when Spud flipped him off Ethan shifted to trap the smaller man between the couch and his own body. Leaving Spud no room to squirm away he easily subdued his struggles and resumed tickling, his own control faltering for a second when his fingers found bare skin.

Groaning, stomach aching in protest from laughing Spud gave in, "fine … uncle, uncle!" Shifting to sit up he was abruptly aware that Ethan's knee was inches away from finding out how much he was _enjoying_ the other man's closeness. Flushing and grateful for the darkness he shoved at Ethan's shoulders, hoping an insult would distract the bigger man, "git."

"Oh now you're asking for it," mouth curving in fondness Ethan dragged his fingers along Spud's ribs, his previous bad mood forgotten at the smaller man's breathless whine of protest. Fangs dropping he practically inhaled the lovely spicy note that had entered Spud's scent. All it would take was a little nudge and he could have the smaller man flat on his back, trapped between the dueling desire to fuck Spud and the almost overwhelming need to _taste_ his blood.

Light flooded the room and cursing Ethan flung his arm over his eyes, squinting at the chocked indignation in his Aunts voice. "Ethan Michael Carter what do you think you are doing?" It took a moment as his eyes adjusted to realize not only was his vision completely red he was harder than he'd ever been in his life.

Closing his eyes Ethan kept his face turned away as Spud started to offer apologies and excuses, scrabbling to climb to his feet with a firm shove against his shoulder. Shifting to allow room for Spud to get away by the time he regained enough control over his body to join them Aunt D had visibly calmed, only raising an eyebrow in a way that told him they'd be speaking about this later.

"Why don't you go find Magnus and make sure you're both on the same page for later tonight," ignoring her nephew's grumble of displeasure Dixie held her smile until he reluctantly obeyed and left the room. Walking in on Ethan crouched over her Chief of Staff, fangs out and eyes completely red warned her she'd need to keep a closer watch on them. She was thankful at least the lights had been out, the last thing she needed was to lose a good employee due to Ethan exposing their secret. Turning her attention back on Spud she did wonder exactly what kept drawing Ethan to him, there was nothing she could see about him that could justify garnering her nephew's attention. "I want you to help make sure Magnus retains his title tonight Spud."

"Of course, Madam," having taken the chance to straighten his bowtie and tuck in his shirt while Dixie's attention had been on Ethan Spud barely resisted the urge to fidget, keeping his gaze slightly to the left of her face. While Dixie usually had an excellent poker face he could sense her disapproval at the position she'd caught them in. Pushing aside his embarrassment he forged ahead and broached a subject that was weighing heavily on his mind, after all it was hardly likely she could get any more upset with him. "May I ask what you've decided to do concerning MVP? He's already cost Mr. Carter his tag team opportunity and I have a feeling he won't stop there."

Resisting the urge to curse in an unladylike manner at the mention of the persistent thorn in her side Dixie forced a smile and patted Spud condescendingly on the shoulder, "don't worry about it darling, I have an idea about how to get rid of him. You just concentrate on Magnus tonight."

Ducking his head to hide his grimace Spud nodded with a murmured 'yes madam' and hurried from the room, he had a terrible feeling the situation with MVP was only going to get worse. Nothing good could come of secret plans.


	22. Date

The restaurant's romantic lighting brought out the highlights in his companion's blonde hair and even as he admired its beauty Ethan couldn't help but compare and find it lacking to a certain other blond he knew. Lifting his wine glass he took a large sip, tuning out his date jabbering on and on about the various items on the menu she couldn't eat due to her diet. After a difficult week putting up with his Aunt's increasing paranoia he'd been looking forward to a relaxing evening, now only decades of experience allowed him to keep a pleasant smile on his face and the appearance of listening even as his mind turned to wondering how Spud was doing. He'd had to turn down his offer of a movie night for this so far disastrous date and the disappointment laced with a hint a jealousy in Spud's eyes hadn't escaped his notice. Not for the first time he considered turning their friendship into something more, he was never bored with Spud and he couldn't deny there was strong attraction between them. Still there was no hurry. For now friendship was enough.

"Are you ready to order Sir?" Turning his attention to the waiter Ethan politely gestured for Brenda to go first, determinedly keeping his face neutral as she practically invented a whole new dish. Exchanging a commiserating glance with the waiter he ordered a steak, extra rare, hiding a smirk at his date's grimace of distaste.

"Red meat is like really bad for you," twirling a long curl around her finger Brenda pouted when her advice was ignored. Still Ethan Carter was certainly handsome enough she could overlook a few bad habits, she made a mental note to make him brush his teeth before allowing him to kiss her.

"Sorry darling, I'm still a growing boy and I need my protein," flexing his arm Ethan held back a wince at the way Brenda giggled, the high-pitched sound driving through his skull like nails on a chalkboard. One inane topic after another flowed through the courses, if one could call what his date ate a meal, until he was convinced there was nothing in her head except whatever the latest trend happened to be. As beautiful as Brenda was the thought of spending more time in her company physically pained him.

Trying not to sigh as Brenda predictably refused dessert Ethan discreetly gestured for the bill, folding his hand over top of hers to gain her attention, "what do you say we take a stroll by the river before I see you home?" Holding Brenda's green eyes as she opened her mouth to answer he reached for the thread of the power constantly humming in the background, sliding into her mind and easily bending her will to his own.

"Yes of course," blinking dully Brenda only rose when Ethan held out his hand and led the way out of the restaurant. Swaying she clung to his arm tightly, mind blank she obediently followed until she was pushed gently onto a secluded bench.

Stretching his arm along the edge of the bench Ethan brushed his fingers lightly along Brenda's jaw, tipping her head to the side. Fisting his hand in her long blonde tresses once he assured himself there was no one in visual range of them he sealed his mouth over her waiting pulse, sinking his fangs in. Shuddering as the rich blood flooded his mouth he pulled her closer, ignoring the dissatisfaction in how the night had gone to fulfill his hunger.

Pulling back at the distant sound of approaching footsteps Ethan carefully licked across the small wounds, lapping up the slight trickle of blood that had escaped as the holes closed and faded until all that remained was a faint red mark. Cupping Brenda's face gently he stroked her skin until her eyes fluttered open, "you will forget stopping here, all you will remember of this night is we had a lovely supper then I escorted you home where you promptly went to bed and got a full night's sleep."

Pulling her upright Ethan slowly led the way back towards his car, only his strong grip preventing her from stumbling. Buckling her in he sighed tiredly as Brenda smiled vacantly at him, "and maybe you should eat a burger tomorrow." Letting the link fade he walked around to his side, climbing into the driver's seat and peeling out as Brenda started to come around.

"I had a wonderful time Ethan," humming in tune to the radio Brenda dreamily watched the lights of the city pass by. Turning her head once she recognized her apartment building she teasingly squeezed Ethan's knee, admiring her perfect red nails for a second. "Would you like to come up for some coffee?" Dragging her fingers along his inner thigh to leave no doubt what she was offering she frowned when Ethan firmly removed her hand and placed it back in her lap.

"I'll have to decline your lovely offer Brenda, I'm afraid I have an early day tomorrow," patting her hand Ethan ignored the disappointed pout she directed at him. Using the last ounce of his patience he gently ushered her from the car and waited until she'd safely entered the building before climbing back into his car.

Turning the music up Ethan drove aimlessly, it was too early to head back home yet none of his usual haunts appealed to him. He'd planned on spending the night with Brenda until he'd gotten to know her, still, grinning as an idea popped into his mind he spun the wheel and headed towards a familiar set of apartment buildings. If one blonde ruined his night maybe there was a chance another could fix it.

The flickering of the tv offered the only light in the darkened room. Curled up under a quilt and face half-hidden in its folds Spud was almost grateful Ethan had refused his offer to come over. On one hand watching horror movies with company would be easier, but at least the bigger man wasn't here to tease him. Reaching out for a handful of popcorn, eyes fixed on the horrifying death playing out on screen he yelped and scrambled upright only to trip and fall over his blanket when a heavy hand dropped onto his shoulder.

Feeling only a twinge of regret at the wild way Spud's heart was pounding Ethan held back a smirk as the smaller man glared at him, hair sticking off wildly and looking about as fierce as a kitten. "A little jumpy aren't we Spud," this time he did laugh at the rude gesture and impressive litany of curses he was treated to.

Clutching his chest Spud's glare deepened at the amusement on Ethan's face, "I should never have given you a bloody key." Grumbling and trying not to blush he grudgingly accepted the hand Ethan offered, letting the bigger man pull him to his feet before punching him hard on the shoulder, "git." Regaining his composure he looked Ethan over, taking in his exquisitely fitted suit with an unsteady leap of his pulse, it really wasn't fair for one man to be so good looking. "Aren't you supposed to be on a date?"

Groaning at the reminder Ethan dropped to the couch, "I think I lost several brain cells just listening to her. 'Oh Ethan don't you know how bad it is to eat red meat, I only eat organically sourced salads without a hint a fat or taste," mimicking his dates high voice he grinned at Spud's laugh. "Typical blonde I guess, completely empty headed," teasingly tugging on a lock of blond hair he grunted when Spud elbowed him in the stomach. Smirking he easily captured the smaller man's wrist and tugged until Spud was forced to lean against him.

Squirming into a more comfortable position Spud gave up on trying to get free, not that he really wanted to. Sighing he rested his head on Ethan's shoulder, "you're such a jerk sometimes."

"A charming one though," nosing into Spud's hair to inhale the scent that had rapidly become a favourite Ethan was grateful he'd stuck with Brenda long enough to feed. Now he could simply enjoy having Spud close without worrying about controlling his bloodlust.

Humming noncommittally Spud grinned at the other man's fake annoyed huff, relaxing further as Ethan's fingers combed slow and steady through his hair, lulling him into a half dozing state even as a woman started screaming on the tv.

Stretching his legs out, idly watching the movie while he dragged his fingers through the soft silk of Spud's hair Ethan couldn't help but contemplate why he was happier here doing nothing than on a date with a beautiful albeit obnoxious woman. There was just something about Spud that appealed to all aspects of his nature in ways no one ever had.


	23. Paperwork

Stuck at headquarters filling out the piles of paperwork Dixie had let slide ever since MVP had revealed himself and which she'd sprung it on him just before he was due to leave for the arena Spud couldn't help but speculate if this was an attempt to keep him away from her nephew. It hadn't escaped his notice she was uncomfortable with their friendship, growing distant every time Ethan spent time with him outside of working hours.

Bending to his task he kept half an eye on his phone, waiting for a notification to alert him when Ethan's match started, wishing he was there to cheer the other man on. The first pile was cleared off his desk before the first twitter notification rolled in, a fan crowing how wonderful it would be to see Kurt Angle beat and submit EC3 inside a steel cage. Pausing to process those words Spud felt a familiar sinking feeling at the idea Ethan might be at risk of being hurt, as confidant as his friend was Angle was a machine, dangerous at best of times but in the close quarters of a cage well … it really didn't bear thinking about.

Checking the time, aware it was too soon to even think about calling Ethan he groaned at how much paperwork he still had to wade through. Well nothing to it but to dive back in, taking a deep breath he immersed himself in the intricate details of contract negotiations.

Shaking his hand out Spud finally set his pen down, it had taken longer than he'd like but he was finally done. Scooping up his phone he dialed the number he'd been waiting to call, shoving his wallet and keys in his pocket he left his office, worry creeping up the longer it rang.

"I was wondering when you'd call," Ethan's amused voice broke the increasing tension and Spud rolled his eyes at the gentle teasing.

"I heard what happened Sir, are you okay?" Lips twitching at Ethan's immediate scoff, knowing he'd injured the other man's pride Spud soothed, "a cage match with Kurt Angle at Lockdown sounds pretty bloody awful to me."

"Sure tiger, that's why I can hear the fact you're humoring me now in your voice," flushing and glad the other man was currently two states away Spud fumbled to lock the main entrance behind him, Ethan's ridiculous nickname sending his pulse racing.

"There is nothing wrong in admitting Kurt Angle is an intimidating wrestler," glad his voice remained calm and cool Spud settled in his car, fingers curling around the steering wheel at Ethan's noncommittal hum. Sometimes the other man's recklessness was infuriating.

"You don't need to worry anyway, I rather suspect Kurt won't make it to our match. A little birdie told me his knee won't pass medical clearance," slumping against his seat in relief Spud grinned faintly at the satisfaction in Ethan's voice.

"That's great news Sir, I promise to try not to worry _too_ much about it then," smiling at Ethan's low chuckle Spud could hear Dixie in the background complaining they'd be late for supper, stuffing down his disappointment at the call ending so soon.

"Sorry, gotta go Spud, I'll swing by and visit when I get back in town, maybe we can catch the new Marvel movie." Murmuring his agreement Spud listened to the dial tone for a moment, a pang of loneliness hitting him as he started his car. It would be a long few days waiting for Ethan to get back in town, it was a times like this he realized how dependent he'd become upon the other man's company.


	24. Dixie's Folly

The last two weeks had been amongst the most difficult of his short career as Chief of Staff to work through, Dixie's nerves were coiled so tight she practically had him running around in circles. Stretched thin under an ever-increasing load of errands he barely had the chance to see let alone talk to Ethan even when they were in the same building. It felt strange to miss his friend when he'd just passed him in the hall. Fortunately, the one thing that had seemed to go right was that Kurt Angle had indeed been forced to undergo surgery for his knee and so his cage match with Ethan was put on hold indefinitely.

As a bonus to all the stress he was under Dixie had insisted on remaining secretive about her plan to get rid of MVP, a plan he knew she hadn't even shared with Ethan considering how much the other man had complained about it. The all too easy way she had allowed MVP to manipulate her into putting her half of the company on the line in a winner take all match had to be part of the plan but it only filled him with dread.

That niggling sense of dread proved to be all too prophetic when Dixie revealed in front of the crowd her 'great' plan to regain complete control of the company was securing Bully Ray as the special guest referee. Instinct warned him putting all her trust in a man who had been the more than slightly unhinged leader of Aces and Eights was a terrible decision.

Watching it all play out from the top of the ramp Spud subtly flexed his fingers under Dixie's tight grip knowing without a doubt Bully was going to betray the Carters before it happened. There was something … unsettling in the cold watchful expression on his face. All his worst fears were realized when almost certain victory was snatched away at the last second, MVP winning thanks entirely to Bully's aid, his raised hand destroying Dixie's control over the company.

Putting all thoughts of what was going to happen aside Spud desperately tried to stop his boss from rushing down to the ring, the deadly gleam in Bully's eyes warned him the other man wouldn't hesitate in attacking either of them. Yanking on Dixie's arm he managed to drag her back up the ramp, relieved more than he could express to find her husband waiting to pull her into a hug and offering him a sympathetic smile. It was lucky break tonight's event was in Nashville, he didn't want to picture what Dixie might have done without Serg's calming influence.

After that the couple were quick to disappear, leaving him to wander around in a funk until Ethan found him, touching his shoulder and nudging him in the direction of their shared locker room. Keeping back a step as the bigger man bullied his way through the crowded corridors Spud held in the apologies trembling on the tip of his tongue until they were in private. "I'm so sorry Sir, I knew something terrible was going to happen as soon as I saw Bully Ray." Speaking miserably to Ethan's broad back he flinched at how quickly the other man spun around and grabbed his wrist.

"Why are you apologizing Spud? None of this is your fault," grip tightening at the surprised gratitude lighting up those blue eyes Ethan slowly rubbed his thumb across the Spud's wrist, anger and worry lost to the siren call of the other man's racing pulse. Teeth clenching against the surge of hunger he abruptly regretted having skipped feeding last night, the temptation to sink his fangs into Spud's neck and drink until satiated almost overpowering his self-control. A desire not at all helped by the way Spud's shirt gaped to reveal tantalizing glimpses of skin. It was only the determination never to have to wipe the other man's memory that stopped him. No matter how much he ached for a taste of Spud's blood it made his skin crawl to think of betraying his trust in that way.

"Sir? Ethan, can you hear me?" Spud's voice penetrated the daze he'd fallen into and with a shaky exhale Ethan convinced his fingers to release their grip. "Yeah," clearing his throat he smoothed back a lock of blond hair, forcing a smile at Spud's worried frown. "Sorry just hungry. What do you say we grab supper and forget about this mess? Aunt D isn't going to be in the mood to tolerate anyone but Serg and it's been far too long since we've had the chance to hang out."

Eyes falling half-shut at the feel of Ethan's fingers running through his hair Spud hoped his smile wasn't as sappy as he feared, "yes Sir. I'm sorry I haven't had much free time lately." Ethan's understanding shrug relieved at least one worry from his mind and he finally pulled away to collect their luggage. "Perhaps we can come up with a way to get even with MVP next week and make sure your Aunt doesn't feel forgotten."

"Yeah," eyes crinkling Ethan took their luggage and tucked Spud's hand into the crook of his elbow, pleased by yet another demonstration of how much the other man truly did care about his family. "I think Aunt D would like that," a layer of the wall he'd built after Sophia's betrayal was chipped away under the warmth of Spud's loyalty.

Hours later Ethan ushered Spud into his house, he'd plied the smaller man with enough alcohol he had to keep a steading hand on his back, steering him through the darkened and silent rooms until they reached his wing of the house.

"Are you sure it's okay for me to be here Sir?" Looking around the impressive room, filled with a large couch and perhaps the biggest tv he'd ever seen Spud huffed when Ethan rolled his eyes and pushed him down on the couch. In truth the evening spent in the bigger man's company had eased his worries over the nights terrible events and he was reluctant to let that feeling go. Deep down he feared Dixie somehow blamed him.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't ask me that," grabbing the remote Ethan dropped it in Spud's hands, smirking as he fumbled to catch it, "choose a movie for us, I'm going to change." Squeezing Spud's shoulder he left him flipping through the channels, changing quickly he snagged an old pair of pajamas he'd outgrown long ago. Making his way back to the living room he dropped them on Spud's head, grinning at the long-suffering sigh, "go change Spud, you're staying here tonight."

Taking one look at the stubborn look on Ethan's face Spud simply nodded, "yes Sir." He knew the other man enough to know it was easier not to argue, not that he actually wanted to. Ducking into the spare room to change the pants were naturally too long, forcing him to roll them up but he was pleasantly surprised to find the t-shirt almost fit. Running his hand over the worn grey fabric he couldn't deny there was a certain thrill of pleasure in wearing Ethan's clothes.

Looking up as Spud shuffled into the room Ethan struggled to hold back the red trying to flood his vision, gums aching from forcing his fangs to stay retracted. The sight of Spud in his clothes touched on a desire he hadn't even been aware of and his pulse raced with the need to claim. Shifting over on the couch his other half all but purred in satisfaction at having his scent marking the smaller man, making him tighten his control until he was barely breathing.

Determinedly fixing his attention on the movie Ethan did his best to ignore how easy it would be to tug Spud onto his lap, to sink his fangs in and drink until Spud was moaning in pleasure. It was especially difficult to not to think about just how close his bed was. Finally flicking the tv off once the movie ended he turned to find Spud sleeping peacefully, his hunger at last easing into something warmer.

Smiling he gently shifted the smaller man into a sitting position and easily picked him up, murmuring soothingly when Spud grumbled, "shh it's okay, go back to sleep. Everything will be better in the morning." Carrying Spud to the guest room he hoped he hadn't told a lie, there had been no sign of his Aunt since they'd returned and he'd learned at an early age how badly she dealt well with not getting her way. Tucking Spud in and staying long enough to make sure the other man remained asleep he forced himself to head to his own bed. Alone.

* * *

The morning dawned in a glorious blaze of sunshine … sunshine that poured bright and impossible to ignore through the large bay windows in his room. Grumbling Ethan threw his arm over his face, irritation fading as the events of last night slowly trickled back. Angle's surgery. Bully's betrayal. His Aunt's loss of her beloved company then finally, overriding everything else, the satisfying knowledge that Spud was sleeping safe and sound just one room away. Turning over he grimaced at seeing it had just turned 7:00, heaving a sigh he reluctantly rolled out of bed. Now that he was awake his stomach was telling him it was time to eat.

Knocking once for politeness Ethan pushed the door to the guest room open, not surprised to find Spud still sleeping. Strolling over to the blinds he flipped them open to let the sunshine stream in, not feeling at all guilty at the whined protest, "get up Spud, I'm hungry and it's time for breakfast."

Squinting against the bright light and then glancing over at the clock Spud threw a glare at Ethan's fuzzy figure, "bloody hell Sir, since when do you get up before noon?" Dragging himself upright and sitting on the edge of the bed he slumped tiredly, groggily looking up when Ethan moved to stand over him.

Unable to resist smoothing down a wild tuft of hair Ethan forced back the surge of bloodlust when Spud sighed and tilted his head into his touch, exposing the vulnerable line of his throat. "Since I forgot to close my blinds," dropping his hand at Spud's amused huff he was relieved his voice showed no sign of his less than pure thoughts. Briskly clapping his hands together he stepped back from temptation, "now let's go, I'm starved."

Giving in to Ethan's impatient gesture Spud heaved himself to his feet, throwing a glance towards the closet where his suit was neatly hung up he reluctantly followed Ethan's retreating form, "shouldn't we get dressed first Sir?"

"Why bother," looking back Ethan hoped his new-found pleasure at the sight of Spud wearing his clothes didn't show, "I doubt anyone else is awake yet." The kitchen was in fact deserted and he stood frowning at the gleaming counters until Spud nudged him aside with a small grin.

"What would you like Sir?" Opening the fridge Spud whistled lowly, "it appears as if there's no lack of choice."

Leaning against the island Ethan watched Spud rifle through the fridge with a tender smile, "since I don't cook anything you want to make is okay with me." The amused look Spud shot him from over his shoulder had him fantasizing again about sinking his fangs into the smaller man's neck in a different form of breakfast.

"An omelet then and bacon," grabbing an armful Spud dumped the ingredients on the counter. Raising an eyebrow challengingly he tossed a green pepper towards Ethan, "think you can manage to cut that up?"

Accepting the knife and cutting board Spud slid towards him Ethan smiled wryly, glad his Aunt wasn't awake to see him willingly doing such a mundane chore, "I think I can manage." Talk was minimal as Spud slid vegetables to him to cut up while he started cooking. Sipping on a cup of fresh coffee when his help was no longer needed Ethan sat back to enjoy the sight of Spud expertly flipping an omelet. It felt strangely ... intimate to watch Spud cook just for him and he very much liked the feeling.

"Here you go Sir," gently setting a plate down in front of the bigger man Spud dug into his own omelet. Watching Ethan from under his eyelashes he hid his satisfaction at the sound of appreciation he let out.

"This is really good," stealing an extra piece of bacon off of Spud's plate Ethan grinned at the other man's playful shove. "I'll have to get you to cook for me more often."

Ducking his head Spud peered up at Ethan's pleased expression with a shy smile, "of course Sir, anytime." The compliment was a welcome boost to his ego after last night's fiasco, even with no prior knowledge he couldn't help but feel guilty at not doing more to help. Holding back a sigh, not wanting to bring down the peaceful mood he collected the dirty dishes and loaded the dishwasher. Despite Ethan rolling his eyes and leaning back in his chair there was no way he was going to leave a mess in his boss's otherwise meticulously clean kitchen. In no time he had the counters wiped down and everything tidied away when Dixie and Serg walked in.

Stopping short at the sight of her nephew up this early it took Dixie a second to spot her Chief of Staff and then an extra second to register he was wearing Ethan's clothes and had clearly stayed the night. Clutching Serg's arm at the rush of anger she scowled at her nephew, "why is Spud here Ethan?" The question was out before she could think twice and the way Spud flushed and shifted uncomfortably had a brief flutter of regret raising its head.

Unsettled by the amount of anger in his Aunt's voice Ethan rose to his feet and stepped half in front of Spud before he was even aware of moving, "I insisted he stay over after we had a bit too much to drink last night. Is something wrong?"

"It's because of employees like Spud letting me down that allowed MVP to take full control of MY company. A company I've sacrificed everything for," shaking off her husband's restraining hand Dixie could feel a curtain of red descending across her vision as the anger and pain from the loss combined with her growing uneasiness at how close Ethan was getting to Spud shattered her control. Stepping forward she stopped abruptly when Ethan moved to block her path, the low warning growl escaping him enough to snap her back to her senses.

"That's not fair Aunt D, you didn't share your plan with either Spud or me. If you had we might have been able to help more," breathing out slowly as his Aunt visibly calmed Ethan allowed his attention to drift back to Spud, feeling a pang at the pain on the other man's face. At least he'd been able to block Spud from seeing his Aunt's eyes flood red, that would have been a disaster they didn't need with tempers running hot. Holding his hand out he did his best to smile reassuringly as Spud reluctantly allowed himself to be tugged closer.

Accepting Serg's comforting hug Dixie tucked her face into his shoulder and breathed in his soothing scent, her inner beast calming enough to allow the full flood of guilt to hit her at what she'd said. Breaking away she carefully approached her Chief of Staff, heart breaking a bit at the way he straightened to attention with a carefully neutral expression. Meeting Spud's cool blue eyes she patted his arm gently, "I'm sorry darling, I didn't mean to take my bad mood out on you. It's been a rough twenty-four hours but that's no excuse. I hope you can forgive me."

"Of course, Madame, I understand completely," smiling weakly Spud brushed aside the guilt and pain her words had caused. Taking comfort in the way Ethan squeezed his hand just a little tighter he dismissed the oddness of the encounter. "I promise I will do whatever I can to make sure MVP's time in the company is as bloody miserable as possible."

Laughing for the first time since Bully had betrayed her Dixie smiled tearfully, "thank you darling. I know I can count on both you and Ethan until I regain control." Peace restored she stepped back to her husband's side. Aware of the way Ethan had watched her every move she really was going to have a word with him.


	25. Tribute

Keeping his opinion on the plan to attack Bully when he walked into the building firmly to himself Spud reluctantly agreed to be the lookout. Smiling weakly at Ethan's thumbs up he stifled the instinct warning him this was a really bad idea, something about Bully Ray just screamed crazy. Knowing Ethan wouldn't listen he gave the signal the moment Bully rounded the corner, joining in reluctantly as the others attacked. It didn't take long for Bully to be left all but unconscious and groaning on the ground, peering back as Ethan slung an arm around his shoulders he swallowed at the vicious look Bully directed after them. The others might be cheerful now but he couldn't help but wonder exactly what Bully might do to extract his own revenge.

Pushing all thoughts of Bully from his mind Spud turned his attention on making sure their tribute for Mrs. Carter, brain stormed with Ethan after her melt down last week went off without a hitch. Admittedly the tears were perhaps a touch over the top but the flush that stole across Ethan's face when he called him beautiful was worth it. MVP interrupted as they'd expected and although he hadn't anticipated the now sole owner would turn his attention on him instead of Ethan and challenge him to face Willow in a match later he didn't hesitate to accept. It was MVP's smug smile that made him wonder if accepting had been the right thing to do especially when things fell apart swiftly after. Lashley storming the ring to pick a fight with Ethan suddenly made the way MVP had ignored Ethan earlier make sense.

Abandoning their tribute as a lost cause Spud tugged on Ethan's arm, unable to even shift the bigger man an inch until he broke his staring match with Lashley and looked at him, dark anger softening enough to follow him out of the ring. Pausing to collect their discarded jackets he was only a few minutes behind Ethan but the moment he pushed through the curtains he knew something bad had happened.

The usual monitoring stations were abandoned, several chairs were over turned and the moment he took a step his feet crunched on broken glass. Hesitantly moving forward his vision wavered for one stricken second on spotting Ethan laid out on the cold floor, unmoving under a large white board.

"Ethan," throat tight with fear Spud dropped to his knees as Ethan groaned and started to stir. Carefully pushing the board off he tentatively brushed shards of glass out of Ethan's dark hair, fighting to keep his voice steady, "are you okay Sir?"

Hearing the note of panic in Spud's voice Ethan pushed through the throbbing pain, sitting up gingerly he was grateful his voice emerged firm and steady, "it's okay Spud, I'm fine." Capturing Spud's hand he squeezed reassuringly as the smaller man's worried expression lightened, now that the pain had eased to a low throb he climbed to his feet, not protesting the arm Spud slid around his waist.

"What happened?" Holding tightly onto Ethan's waist Spud scrutinized every inch of his face, feeling strangely reassured at the other man's instant glower. If Ethan was well enough to be angry than he couldn't be in too much pain.

"Bully attacked me," touching the back of his head Ethan winced at the lump he found, it wouldn't take long for it to heal but that didn't stop it from hurting like a bitch right now. At Spud's horrified gasp he dropped his hand to the nape of his neck, "I'll be fine Spud, don't worry." He squeezed lightly until the smaller man nodded reluctantly.

Swallowing as Ethan's hand dropped away Spud pushed aside the slow lick of desire, "you are going to see the Doctor." Narrowing his eyes as Ethan opened his mouth to protest he griped to his arm and tugged until the bigger man fell into step alongside him. "Don't even bother arguing Sir, and don't think I won't call your Aunt if I have to."

Huffing out a laugh at the threat Ethan allowed Spud to steer him, "alright Spud, whatever you want." Stopping in front of the Doctor's office he tipped Spud's face up and allowed just a fraction of power to touch the other man, "be _careful_ facing Willow. I don't trust MVP's motives in making this match." Easing his power back he watched Spud blink, the blank look fading from his eyes as he murmured agreeably. Swallowing he had to force back the abrupt swell of hunger, he hadn't expected Spud to be so susceptible to him and it made him want to entangle the smaller man in every thread of his power to see what would happen. "I'll come find you once the Doctor confirms nothing is wrong."

"Yes Sir," hating the fact he had to leave while Ethan was injured Spud gave into impulse and threw his arms around the other man's shoulders, a shuddering sigh breaking free when instead of being pushed away one large hand petted soothingly down his back. Stepping back he flushed at the warm regard in Ethan's dark eyes. "I'll be back soon Sir." Hurrying to their locker room he dressed in his ring gear, concentrating on making sure his bowtie was on straight to quell the nervous fear knotting his stomach, very much aware he would be alone facing a man who had reason to want a bit of revenge.

Tapping his fingers on the arm of his chair Ethan stared sightlessly up at the ceiling, impatiently waiting for the Doctor to come back and release him. With his injury well on the way to being healed he'd give him a few more minutes before leaving, Spud's match should be over and he wanted to know how it had gone. A commotion in the hallway gained his attention and before he was even consciously aware he was hearing Spud's low whimpers of pain he was already throwing the door open.

"What's going on?" Trying to bully his way into the next room where he caught a glimpse of Spud being helped up on the examination table Ethan growled dangerously when the door was shut in his face by one of the security crew.

"Sorry Mr. Carter but Doctor's orders are no unnecessary personnel until he's examined Mr. Curtin." Quailing under the other man's angry glare he held his hands up in supplication, "please Sir I'm just doing what I was told."

Letting out his breath in a low hiss Ethan hung to his patience by his fingertips, "fine, I'll wait but in return I want you to tell me what happened."

"I heard Willow jumped off a ladder onto Mr. Curtain's leg." This time he didn't even try to stop Mr. Carter from pushing past him, dismissing the idea he'd seen the other man's brown eyes change to red as a trick of the light.

Entering the room Ethan quietly closed the door behind him, leaning against the doorframe he watched Dr. Howe prod Spud's ankle. Beads of sweat dotted the smaller man's forehead and he struggled to keep his voice calm as the lines of pain bracketing Spud's eyes deepened, "how's his ankle Doctor?" His fingers tightened on the doorframe when Spud looked up at the sound of his voice only to look away in shame. Shoving his hands in his pockets he forced himself to keep his distance despite his every instinct screaming at him to gather Spud into his arms and soothe away every trace of pain.

Looking over at the sound of his other patient's voice Dr. Howe opened his mouth to admonish him, quickly changing his mind at the other man's stubborn expression, after a decade's worth of experience in dealing with wrestlers he knew when to give in. "Nothing is broken thankfully. It just needs to be iced and elevated for a few days."

Biting his lip to keep from whimpering while his ankle was wrapped Spud kept his gaze fixed on the floor at Ethan's soft murmur of relief. Not only had he been unable to mount a defense against Willow, he'd been completely helpless to stop him from trying to shatter his ankle with that blasted ladder. "Thank you, Dr. Howe." Closing his eyes he held his breath against the pain as the Doctor tied off the bandage. By the time he opened them again Ethan was standing in front of him and Dr. Howe was shutting the door behind him. The concern in Ethan's dark eyes was a balm on his humiliation and he gratefully leaned into the gentle touch on his jaw, "I'm sorry for losing again Sir."

Examining the weary pain on Spud's face Ethan shook his head and griped the back of his neck firmly, forcing the smaller man to meet his eyes even as he kept the red from sweeping over his, "the only thing I care about is you're going to be okay." Releasing his hold at Spud's tremulous smile he pulled his arm across his shoulder and helped him off the table, "now I'm going to take you home and make sure you rest."

"I can walk Sir," despite the pleasure from Ethan's open display of concern Spud had to protest when the bigger man took all of his weight. His pride simply wouldn't allow him to admit he wouldn't have been able to walk without help.

Smirking Ethan kept his arm firmly around Spud's waist, "or I could carry you, it's not like you're very heavy." Laughing at the scowl directed at him he protectively tucked Spud closer, eyes falling half-shut to better enjoy how perfectly the smaller man fit against him. Swinging by their locker room long enough for Spud to change out of his wrestling gear and grab their luggage he ushered the way to his waiting car. Quietly relying directions to Spud's apartment complex he eyed the lingering pain on the smaller man's face, thankful the show had been in Nashville so they didn't have to deal with the added stress of hotels and travel. The sooner he got Spud home and resting the better.

On reaching the by now familiar neighborhood Ethan tipped his driver to pick up supper from the restaurant around the corner, helping Spud out of the car he wrapped a firm arm around the smaller man's waist despite his protests he could make it on his own. Huffing out a laugh he could only shake his head at Spud's stubborn determination to pretend he wasn't hurt when the sweat dotting his forehead quite clearly proved it a lie. "You're just going to have to accept my help Spud," tightening his grip at the other man's eyeroll he didn't let go until they reached Spud's small rather messy apartment.

"Go get comfortable," ordering firmly Ethan nudged Spud towards his bedroom, shedding his jacket and tie he rummaged under the sink until he found a water bottle, filling it with ice he dumped it on the couch, moving a small pile of shirts onto the chair with a fond smile. It amused him someone who took such care with other people's belongings had so little care for his own. Hearing the sound of the shower he busied himself with collecting drinks, balancing keeping an ear open in case Spud fell and trying not to picture the other man naked he was almost thankful for the distraction of the doorbell ringing.

Opening the door a crack Ethan accepted the large brown paper bag his driver held out, normally he would have had the man come in and set everything up but he found his possessive instincts flaring at the idea of allowing another man inside Spud's apartment. Controlling the flicker of red in his eyes he dismissed his driver with another large tip, by the time Spud limped out in jogging pants and a thin tank top he had super laid out on the coffee table, smiling at his look of faint surprise.

Joining Ethan on the couch Spud took in the cartons of food from his favourite Chinese restaurant, "you didn't have to do all this Sir, I would have been fine on my own." Accepting the carton Ethan held out he peered up at his friend with an uncertain smile, the lingering pain in his ankle fading under the warmth of being taken care of, especially by a man like Ethan Carter.

"I wanted to," patting his knee Ethan raised an impatient eyebrow until Spud gave in and extended his leg, grunting his approval he placed the ice pack against the injured ankle, tossing Spud the remote while he grabbed his own carton of food. Leaving Spud to flick aimlessly through the channels he ate quickly, deliberately slowing his breathing to control the surge of a different kind of hunger at how delicious Spud smelled, his sweet almost electric scent unmarred by Willow's stench.

Finally settling on a re-run of Seinfeld Spud finished off his carton of chicken chow mein, dropping the empty container on the floor. The ice pack had numbed the pain in his ankle to a dull throb and leaning his head back against the arm of the couch he barely stirred when Ethan removed the ice pack and tossed it aside. Eyes closing he couldn't stop the pleased sigh from escaping at the feeling of a warm hand curling around his ankle, falling asleep to the wonderfully soothing sensation of fingers petting along his skin.

Smiling as Spud's heart rate slowed into that of sleep Ethan relaxed the tight hold over his bloodlust, fangs descending even as his eyes immediately swirled with red. Pleasure thrummed through him at how easily Spud could fall asleep in his presence and had since early in their friendship, it went against all of his previous experiences and made his other half purr with satisfaction. Most humans at least subconsciously sensed some sort of danger around him, the various lovers he'd taken throughout the years all had been uneasy spending the night, even Sophia had difficulties despite the mitigating factor of their bond. Closing his eyes he dozed off to the steady beat of Spud's heart, waking hours later to vicious crick in his neck.

Standing and stretching he murmured soothingly as Spud stirred at the movement, it was past the usual time when he would have been home and a quick check showed his phone was full of texts from Aunt D asking where he was. Rolling his eyes he switched the tv off, leaving the living room in darkness as he gently picked Spud up, cradling the smaller man carefully he carried him to the bedroom, nudging the door open with his foot. The bed was unmade and he laid Spud down, tossing a handful of bowties on the dresser with a huff of affection.

"Sir?" Spud's voice was slurred and Ethan tugged the blankets over him, gently smoothing back a lock a hair his fingers lingered in the silky depths, the ever present hunger rising sharply at the resulting pleased hum.

"Go back to sleep tiger," voice rough and pushing just a thread of power into the order Ethan reluctantly pulled away as Spud sighed and rolled over, hugging his pillow and obediently falling back to sleep. Crushing all thoughts of joining the smaller man from his mind he hastily cleaned up the remains of their supper and left the apartment before his own desires got the better of him.


	26. Overtime

Stretching the kinks out of his back Spud groaned as several loud cracks released the accumulated tension from sitting hunched over for hours. Due to his injury at the hands of Willow Mrs. Carter had ordered him to stay at headquarters for the week, sticking him with endless rounds of paperwork in a reoccurring nightmare. Honestly if he had to sign one more piece of paper there was a good chance he'd go crazy. Standing he reluctantly grabbed the crutches Ethan had insisted he use, at least it was so late everyone had long gone home, leaving him in peace to watch the show and enjoy a well-deserved cup of tea.

An hour into the show he had never felt more helpless than being forced to watch Willow try to shatter Ethan's ankle while he sat safe and sound hundreds of miles away. Nails bitten to the quick he jumped up with an excited shout when Ethan managed to get away, wincing in pain a moment later from the sudden movement. Slumping back he fumbled for his phone, waiting just long enough to give Ethan time to make it back to his locker room before dialing.

"Checking up on me Spud? This is becoming quite the habit of yours."

Smiling, eyes closing in relief at the amusement in Ethan's voice he felt the cold knot of fear in the pit of his stomach ease. "Yes Sir, I saw what Willow tried to do. Are you okay?" Focused on Ethan's response Spud didn't notice Dixie poke her head around the corner.

Pausing on seeing her Chief of Staff on the phone Dixie's eyes narrowed at hearing her nephews voice from the other end. Even over the tinny quality she could clearly hear genuine affection in Ethan's voice as he bantered back and forth with Spud and she realized if she didn't do something to nip this friendship in the bud sooner or later her nephew was going let their secret slip. And since her deal with MVP prevented her from attending shows or having any control over matches she was just going to have to do her best keep them apart here in Nashville.

Coughing she forced a smile as Spud jumped and looked up, murmuring a quick good bye before fumbling to get to his feet. Holding her hand out she gestured for him to remain seated, "sorry to disturb you Spud. I'm just on my way out. I'm afraid however I'm going to need you to work late most of this week." Hopefully a week of Spud having no time for her often impatient nephew would cool Ethan's strange affection for him.

"Of course, Madame, whatever you need," repressing a sigh at the idea of spending more late nights doing paperwork Spud held his smile until Dixie nodded in satisfaction and left. This was going to be a long week.

After the fifth straight day of working late Spud all but collapsed on his couch, too exhausted to make it to his room. As he'd expected the last few days had been long and difficult, the few hours of sleep he managed to get interrupted by texts from Dixie assigning him even more paperwork and made worse by the number of times he'd had to turn down Ethan's invites to go out for supper. Minutes later on the verge of falling sleep a loud knock jolted him awake, cursing grumpily he barely stirred when his door opened. Soon the delicious aroma of food filled his apartment and his lips curved into a small smile at the familiar weight settling next to him, sighing he leaned his head onto Ethan's well-muscled shoulder, "I didn't expect to see you tonight Sir."

"Well since you've been forced to work late all week and been unable to come out I figured it was about time I came to you," carding his fingers through soft strands of blond hair Ethan tore his eyes away from Spud's neck at his sleepy hum of contentment. Grudgingly pulling away from temptation he stood and drew Spud up with him, "come on let's eat, I can hear your stomach growling."

Laughing ruefully Spud allowed Ethan to push him towards his small dining table, "yes Sir, thank you. I didn't get the chance to have lunch and I'm starving." Gratefully accepting the carton of lemon chicken he missed the slight frown on the other man's face.

Digging into his own meal the rage at seeing Spud was still limping almost a full two weeks after Willow's attack easily eclipsed his annoyance with Aunt D for working the smaller man so hard. It made him even more determined to get revenge, a plan rapidly starting to form as Spud's undemanding company worked its usual magic in relaxing him. Looking up his mouth twitched into a smile at finding Spud drooping over his half-eaten meal, standing he held out his hand, "come on tiger, I think it's time I get you to bed." Chuckling as Spud only blinked he hauled the smaller man upright, catching him in a loose hug as Spud swayed tiredly he leaned down and nuzzled his hair. Breathing in the scent that for once soothed his hunger instead of ratcheting it up, "things will get better soon, after all I can't imagine Aunt D has much paperwork left."

"Yes, Sir," sighing Spud pressed his forehead into Ethan's firm chest, soaking up the bigger man's warmth he was dimly aware of being lifted off his feet, unable to summon up the energy to protest. Usually he loathed when people picked him up, had ever since high school where it had been the cause of many fights but with Ethan he simply felt … safe.

Shifting his grip to hold Spud more securely Ethan carried him to his bedroom, gently laying him down in bed he tugged the twisted blankets free, smirking at Spud's grumble on being jostled he briefly entertained the idea of joining him, the knowledge Spud wouldn't object only made the idea even more tempting. "Putting you to bed is becoming quite the habit," tone low and teasing he tucked the smaller man in firmly, swallowing as those blue eyes opened enough to look at him Spud's sleepy smile hit him like a punch to the gut.

"Thank you, Ethan," stifling a yawn Spud closed his eyes, a soft sound of enjoyment escaping him as gentle fingers combed through his hair.

Red sliding rapidly through his eyes at the pleased sound Ethan desperately fought the desire to sink his fangs into the slender arc of Spud's neck, pulling away before he lost the battle he practically fled the apartment. With his bloodlust so close to the surface it was time to hunt or else he knew he'd find himself making another visit to Spud's apartment.


	27. Hunt for Willow

Against his better judgment Ethan allowed Spud to accompany him on the hunt through North Carolina's back woods to find Jeff Hardy's alter ego, once the other man had heard his plan he'd insisted on coming along. It was when Willow managed to kidnap Spud right out from under his nose while he was too busy teasing him that he cursed himself for not using his power to force Spud to stay home where it was safe. Coming shockingly close to exposing his true abilities he managed to rein his speed at the last second, using every ounce of willpower to restrain himself to searching for Spud at a human's pace rage reddened his vision with every added second that passed.

When he finally tracked Spud's scent to a half-collapsed structure and found him gagged and bound with chains every ounce of his attention narrowed to the sound of Spud's ragged breathing. Blinded by rage he heard Willow a fraction too late, taking several shots to the back of the head with that ridiculous umbrella. Swearing viciously Ethan punched through one half rotting wall as Willow's maniacal laughter faded on the warm breeze before he made it back to his feet, a low whimper yanking his attention back to Spud.

Dropping to his knees next to the cot Ethan gently brushed away a sweaty lump of hair, "Spud? Can you hear me?" Forcing down anger when Spud's eyelids fluttered weakly he tugged the gag free and cupped the smaller man's jaw, ignoring the black face paint he stroked his thumbs delicately along Spud's cheekbones, murmuring gently, "that's it tiger, open those pretty blue eyes for me."

Groaning Spud fought through the pain clouding his head to obey that familiar voice, opening his eyes he blinked fuzzily up at the face leaning over him, "Ethan?" Mouth dry he coughed violently, struggling to sit up he felt a touch of panic when he couldn't move more than an inch. "Sir, what's … what's going on?"

"Willow attacked you and dragged you away. Don't you remember?" Casting his eye over the chains Ethan's worry deepened when Spud's breathing hitched and his heart rate audibly spiked. "Hey shh, it's going to be okay," cradling Spud's cheek he brushed his thumb soothingly under his trembling bottom lip, smiling encouragingly as the smaller man's blue eyes instantly focused back on him. "I'm going to get you out of here," pulling back he forced his gaze back to the chains, squashing the warm flicker of heat at the way Spud had calmed at his reassurance.

Closing his eyes Spud struggled to concentrate on simply breathing in and out, latching onto the rich clean scent of Ethan's cologne to block his barely contained panic at being bound, "I don't feel very good Sir."

"I'm not surprised, it looks like Willow stomped on your ankle," skimming his fingers lightly over the fresh bruises on Spud's already injured ankle Ethan breathed through the rage threatening to once again overwhelm him, especially since he could still smell Willow in the air. Shaking off the knowledge of how easy it would be to track him down and rip his throat out he gently tilted Spud's head towards the light, frowning at how dilated the other man's eyes were, "and gave you a concussion."

"No wonder my head feels like it's going to fall off," shuddering as a hot spike of pain drove through his skull Spud tried to make sense of what was wrong about Ethan's expression. The furious red tint to his dark eyes had to be a trick of his concussion but it made him rush to apologize, "I'm so sorry sir for … for letting Willow get the drop on me."

Tired of fiddling with the lock as Spud's words wavered and slurred Ethan finally had enough and shattered the chain. Scooping the smaller man carefully up off the bed he carried him out into the bright afternoon sun, holding on despite Spud's muttered protests, "relax, I've got you."

"But I can walk Sir," despite his offer Spud tucked his aching head against Ethan's shoulder, sighing in relief as the pain started to ease. With the usual sense of safety that came from being in Ethan's arms he let the exhaustion tug him towards sleep even as a small part of his mind couldn't help but register something odd about the way the bigger man had freed him the chains.

"I'm starting to hear that a little too often from you tiger." Dipping his head Ethan pressed his lips against Spud's soft hair, "but since I'm the one that dragged you out here on a bad ankle the least I can do is carry you out." Smiling as Spud murmured something even his hearing couldn't catch and snuggled further into his arms he tightened his grip. Using a bare fraction of his speed to get them safely out of the woods he vowed once again to make Willow pay. Arriving back to his car in record time he settled Spud in the backseat, balling his unneeded jacket up as a pillow he drove back to their hotel and parked haphazardly in front of the hotel doors. Tossing the keys to the valet he slipped him a large bill to stop any complaints.

Shaking Spud awake he helped him slid out of the backseat, biting his lip at how dazed the other man looked, blue eyes barely focusing on his face before falling half shut. Wrapping an arm around his waist Ethan took on most of the other man's weight, rolling his eyes at the predictable protest.

"I can walk Sir," blearily aware of Ethan's exasperation through the fog in his head Spud didn't fight the tightening grip around his waist. With the dull throbbing pain in his ankle it was all he could do to even put a little bit of pressure on it, forcing him to lean more and more into Ethan's side whether he wanted to or not.

Luckily the lobby was all but deserted and Ethan had no compunction over practically carrying Spud to the elevator, glaring at the lone passenger that stared at them in disgust, gaze very obviously focusing on how closely he held Spud. Growling, satisfaction shot through the anger when the older man hastily exited on what clearly wasn't his floor, looking down at Spud's closed eyes he gave up saving his pride and scooped up the smaller man, carrying him the rest of the way to their suite.

Opening the door in a feat of dexterity Ethan only gave in to Spud's grumbles to be let down when he reached the bathroom off his bedroom. "It'll do you no good to walk on the ankle," admonishing firmly he ignored the other man's pout, grabbing a facecloth he filled the sink with warm water and started wiping off all traces of black face paint.

"I don't want to be a burden on you Sir," struggling not to slur his words Spud leaned into the firm but gentle fingers tipping his face up, eyes fixed on Ethan's patient expression as it took facecloth after facecloth to get his face clean. Despite the increased pounding in his head he immediately felt better, sighing in vague regret when Ethan let go.

"You are not a burden Spud, I _want_ to help you," viciously clamping down on the wave of possessiveness at the smaller man's sweet smile Ethan turned away to wet another clean towel, giving himself a needed moment to regain control.

"Thank you, Sir," emotions swinging out of control Spud closed his eyes over the sting of grateful tears, shivering as Ethan ran his hands through his hair he couldn't stifle a pained whine when he brushed over the lump on the back of his head.

"Sorry, I'm almost done I promise," keeping his voice low and soothing Ethan ran the towel over Spud's hair, getting the worse of the dirt out. Rummaging through his shaving kit he found a bottle of extra-strength Advil, shaking out two pills he filled a glass and pointedly gestured for Spud to take them. "Stay here, I'll be back in a minute." Barely waiting for Spud's nod of acknowledgment he left the suite long enough to fill up the ice bucket, putting together a rough ice pack from several hand towels.

Entering the bathroom his steps slowed on catching Spud half-dozing, sitting on the toilet and hunched against the vanity Ethan couldn't stop the red from bleeding into his eyes no matter how hard he tried. Never had his other side felt closer to the surface than facing the knowledge Spud had gotten injured on his watch, swallowing his guilt he flicked the lights off and picked the smaller man up.

Groaning Spud blinked as he was shifted, burying his face against Ethan's chest he was grateful the trip was short. The pills were starting to kick in now and he was absolutely exhausted, wanting nothing more to sleep it slowly filtered in he wasn't in his own room. "Sir …" trailing off he forgot what he was going to say as Ethan tugged his shirt off.

"You're going to sleep with me tonight Spud," smirking as Spud's heart rate audibly spiked Ethan dropped a clean shirt over his head, with the possessiveness still clawing at the back of his mind there was no way he was letting the smaller man out of his sight. "I don't want to risk you having a concussion and needing help in the middle of the night. Now," he hauled Spud to his feet, steadying him carefully, "lose the shorts so I can see to your ankle." It was a struggle to ignore the pulse of heat as Spud flushed but obeyed, the ragged beat of his heart a siren call to his own desire to push things between them towards a sexual nature.

"I'm pretty sure I don't have a concussion, I know what they feel like," it was difficult to make out Ethan's expression in the dimly lit room but Spud gave in without further protest, in truth he wanted to stay, wanted the comfort and safety of the bigger man's presence. Sliding into bed he bit his lip against a whine of pain as Ethan placed a pillow under his ankle, even the warm press of fingers massaging his calf barely enough to keep back the sting of tears.

"Shh, it's okay tiger," as gently as he could Ethan laid his make-shift icepack over the swollen and bruised limb, each muffled whimper tearing at his heart. With his instincts screaming to claim the smaller man, to use the bond of blood to protect him from further harm it was all he could do to restrain himself to using a bare fraction of power to simply ease him towards sleep.

Humming as the pain slowly receded Spud sleepily reached out and caught Ethan's hand, smiling as fingers curled securely over his the soothing scent of the other man's expensive aftershave followed him into sleep.


	28. Nightmare

Willow's maddening humming filled the air, surrounding him as he struggled to move, the pain from his ankle a dim memory under the razor-sharp fear clouding his mind. Stifling a yelp he tried to jerk away from the light touch creeping along his leg, straining his eyes he couldn't see anything in the eerie darkness even as the feeling of fingers continued to glide up his leg. Breath freezing in his lungs he couldn't prevent a whine from escaping, thrashing in panic as that invisible touch strayed to his belt buckle and then under, Willow's wild giggles erupted and he could finally see Jeff Hardy's alter ego standing over him.

Mumbling through the gag horror swept over him as Willow's eyes bled black … bolting upright he fell out of bed with a startled yelp, scrambling into a corner it took a couple of moments before his mind woke up to the fact he was alone in his apartment. "Bloody hell," dragging a hand through his sweaty hair Spud took several deep breaths, willing his pulse to settle it took an embarrassingly long time before he could convince himself it was safe to move. Truthfully he didn't remember much after Willow had hit him on the back of his head and yet the direction his nightmare had taken … bile rose up as he couldn't help but wonder if something else had happened. Making it to the bathroom just in time he threw up, leaning against the cool porcelain he concentrated on simply breathing, forcing all thoughts on what Willow could have done to him while he was helpless from his mind.

After brushing his teeth half a dozen times he hobbled back to bed, swallowing as the darkness seemed to press in on him he was unable to escape the awful feeling Willow was just waiting to burst into apartment. Snatching up his phone Spud hurried to the living room, flicking on every light he double checked the door was locked before diving onto the couch and huddling under a heavy woolen blanket. Flinching at every small sound all he could think about was how safe he'd felt

last night, protected by Ethan's large reassuring presence and it took all his self-control not to call the other man. Despite being almost certain Ethan would offer to come over he didn't want to appear weak, he valued Ethan's opinion too much to risk it.

Scrubbing a hand through his hair in frustration Spud closed his eyes and just breathed, forcing himself to count backwards until he convinced his fingers to release their death grip on his phone. Getting up, careful of his still injured ankle he puttered around the kitchen, the familiar routine of making tea was comforting, soothing away the lingering traces of fear. Sleep might not be in the cards but he decided to make the best of it and catch up with all the shows he hasn't had the time for. Wrapped up in his favourite blanket with tea in hand and mindless entertainment on tv he was able to ignore the little voice still whispering at him to call Ethan.


	29. Snatched

The nightmares after his kidnapping continued unabated until Spud started to doubt if it had been the right decision not to talk about it with Ethan, the only times he felt safe anymore were in the other man's presence. So when Ethan insisted he stay in the back during his tag match against Willow and Bully Ray he didn't argue, locking the door after him until the guilt of watching his friend take such punishment outweighed his fear. Wheeling down to the ring he cursed how slow the blasted wheelchair made him, he hadn't wanted to use it at all but once Ethan had taken one look at his still swollen ankle he had insisted it was this or stay home for the week. And if he had to spend any more time finding things to do in his empty apartment he was going to lose his mind.

Almost to the ring he could clearly see the danger Ethan was in, positioned dangerously on top of a table by a madly cackling Willow. Swallowing his fear he yelled out to Willow, a cool rush of relief washing over him when the other man abandoned his attempt to drive Ethan through the table. It was only as Willow turned to him that he realized what a vulnerable position he'd put himself in. Trying to back up the ramp he held his hands up pleadingly as Willow loomed over him, yelping when he was yanked out of his chair and thrown over the other man's shoulder. Struggling and kicking he bit his lip to stop from calling to Ethan, not about to be the one to ruin his chances of winning. When Willow's hand tightened warningly on his leg he decided it would be better to play along until he had the chance to escape, at least this time they weren't in the middle of nowhere, surely someone would help.

A hope that was dashed when Willow carried him to an empty room without anyone interfering and unceremoniously dropped him on the floor. Rolling over and kicking out at the other man he grunted in pain when his leg was easily caught, a solid blow to his stomach knocking the wind out of him.

"Bloody bastard," wheezing Spud glared up at Willow's leering face, determined not to show the fear swamping him as the other man laughed, the same high-demented laugh that haunted his nightmares.

"Poor baby rockstar, all by himself and no prince in shining armour to rescue him," wincing at cruel mocking note in Willow's sing-song voice Spud tried to scrabble backwards when the other man reached down and ripped his shirt, buttons flying in every direction and bowtie half-strangling him from the force.

"Don't struggle or I'll have to hurt you." For a moment Willow's voice dropped to reveal a glimpse of Jeff Hardy and instead of it reassuring him it ramped his fear up several notches. Struggling in earnest now he didn't see the fist driven into his kidneys, gasping and retching he was helpless to stop Willow from flipping him on his stomach and using his ripped shirt to tightly bind his hands. Whining as cool fingers tiptoed curiously down his spine he ignored the sting of tears and desperately kicked out once more, managing to connect enough to force those hands away. Dropping his head to the dirty floor he concentrated on catching his breath through the waves of pain.

"I'm sure your knight will appreciate my message to him," whimpering as cruel fingers gripped his jaw and wrenched his head painfully to the side Spud grimaced as his bowtie was ripped off and shoved into his mouth. Fully bound and gagged, at the mercy of a madman who had proven capable of hurting him it was all he could do to contain his terror. So, it came as a surprise when the next thing he heard was the sound of retreating steps and the door slamming shut, painfully twisting around he confirmed what his ears had told him. Willow had left the room. Sagging he didn't even try to repress the panicked tears trickling down his cheeks, focusing his remaining energy on freeing his hands all he could think about was how helpless he was if Willow decided to come back.

Storming backstage once his match was finally over, having resisted strangling Roode by the narrowest of margins for delaying him so long once he'd realized Spud had disappeared Ethan ignored everyone around him and closed his eyes. Sniffing the air he easily picked up Spud's scent, a low growl escaping at the bitter edge of fear mingled in with it. Paying little attention to the odd looks he was collecting he followed the trail until it stopped at an unoccupied locker room. Shoving the door open his blood ran cold, fighting to keep red from filling his vision at the sight of Spud bound and gagged, sprawled in a heap on the floor. A low snarl rumbled through the room at the way Spud's shirt was ripped, a slew of imaginings each worse than the last running through his mind.

At the noise blue eyes snapped up to his face with fear that swiftly changed to relief. Dropping to Spud's side Ethan eased the bowtie free, instinctively gathering the smaller man closer when Spud sucked in a shaky breath and frantically leaned into him. Tenderly brushing away a hint of tears he kept his touch gentle despite the rage flooding his body, "are you okay? Did he hurt you?" From the way Spud's shirt was ripped off and the nasty bruises already forming he feared the answer, if Willow had dared to hurt Spud in that way … well nothing about be able to stop him from tearing the other man's throat out. Tugging at the fabric confining Spud's hands he finished loosening it, a sliver of pride burning through his worry at finding he had almost managed to free his wrists.

"I'm okay, he didn't hurt me," every muscle in his body relaxing in the warm safety of the bigger man's presence it didn't even occur to him to protest when Ethan swept him up into his arms. Shivering Spud breathed in the comforting scent of expensive cologne, not bothering to hide his need he pressed his face into Ethan's skin, "Willow only wanted to get to you." The soothing rumble coming from deep in Ethan's chest had him burrowing closer, the deep certainty no one and nothing could touch him when in the bigger man's arms sweeping away the last of his terror.

Swiftly making his way to his locker room Ethan gently set Spud down on the couch, jaw bunching at the smaller man's soft sound of distress when he let go he grabbed a warm blanket and tucked it around his shoulders. Pressing his fingers under the Spud's jaw he tilted his face up, meeting those incredible blue eyes with a fierce stare, "I'll take care of Willow, I promise he won't touch you again. But you can't tell me he didn't hurt you." Touching a deep bruise on Spud's stomach he raised his eyebrows pointedly at the other man's flinch, "he had to have punched you hard to bruise so badly."

Captured by the intensity in Ethan's gaze Spud found himself leaning closer, startled and flushing when Ethan abruptly pulled away to start rummaging through his luggage he dismissed the idea he'd seen a hint of red in the bigger man's eyes. "Well I was kicking him at the time," his lips twitched at Ethan's surprised laugh, catching the shirt the other man tossed at him. Shrugging off the blanket he pulled it on, snorting in amusement at seeing it was one of Ethan's own merchandise shirts.

"That's my tiger," voice husky Ethan grinned as Spud's eyes leapt back to his, the blue warm with pleasure at the nickname. Sitting on the couch he gathered his courage to ask the question he was most afraid of, "Willow didn't … touch you did he?" Grimacing at his own awkwardness he reached out and enfolded Spud's smaller hand within his own.

"No Sir," shaking his head Spud forcibly banished the memory of Willow's cold fingers sliding down his back. Meeting Ethan's dark gaze the last of his fear fell away at the anger there, Willow didn't stand a chance against Ethan Carter. "I think taking me and leaving me tied up was Willow's way of saying he can do whatever he wants whenever he wants."

"Well he's wrong Spud, I won't let him hurt you again," releasing a breath at Spud's nod Ethan gave into his need for contact, tucking back a strand of blond hair, "now I think it's time we get out of here." Before he tracked Willow down and violently demonstrated who between the two of them could truly do anything they wanted and get away with it.

Frowning Spud glanced up at the wall clock, "it's still early Sir, the show isn't over yet." He knew by the look on Ethan's face the other man didn't care but from bitter experience he also knew Mrs. Carter would blame him if he left early and something went wrong. "Please Ethan, you know your Aunt would want us both to stay and look out for her company in her absence. Besides you haven't even told me if you won your match yet."

Groaning as Spud turned pleading eyes his way Ethan reluctantly gave in despite his instincts screaming at him to get the smaller man somewhere safe. Still Spud was right, Aunt D would be very unhappy to learn they'd left before the show was over and he knew who she would blame. "Alright, we'll stay. But," sternly he pointed his finger at the other man, "not only are you are not going to move from this spot you are spending the night in my spare room." Sighing irritably when Spud opened his mouth to protest he glared until the other man gave in with a huff and nodded in agreement.

Dropping down next to the smaller man he was mollified when Spud immediately leaned against him, "and yes thanks to you tiger I did win my match." Tucking his arm securely around Spud's waist satisfaction flickered through him at the way the smaller man shifted closer, head dropping to rest on his shoulder he took advantage of his position to nose along silky blond hair, taking a deep breath of Spud's usual tempting scent now blessedly free from fear. Tension slowly bleeding away he flicked the tv broadcasting the live feed on, determined to leave the second the show was over.

* * *

"Don't worry we have the house to ourselves tonight," correctly interpreting the expression on Spud's face Ethan was quick to reassure. Smiling at the other man's poorly hidden sigh of relief he couldn't exactly blame Spud for his nervousness, not when the last time he'd been over Aunt D had reacted … poorly.

Adjusting his crutches to a more comfortable position Spud followed Ethan down the hall, it made him feel a little bit guilty to be so relieved Dixie wasn't at home but after several sleepless night not to mention being kidnapped by Willow again he wasn't in the mood to deal with her silent disapproval. Dropping his bag off in what had become his room he paused on finding the pajamas he'd worn last time clean and folded on the bed, obviously left for him warmth pooled in his stomach at the thought Ethan had prepared for the possibility of him staying over again. Changing quickly he hobbled out to the living room, frowning at finding the room empty he let out an embarrassing high-pitched yelp when Ethan spoke behind him.

"You should be using your crutches," tsking in disapproval Ethan dropped the tray he was carrying on the coffee table and slung Spud's arm over his shoulder, helping him over to the couch he was grateful the dim lighting hid the flare of red in his eyes. The sight of Spud wearing his clothes again set his other half wild with the need to claim, not helped by the simmering rage from Willow's earlier actions.

"It was only a short distance Ethan," accepting a sandwich Spud drew his knees up and settled comfortably in one corner of the couch, not at all bothered by Ethan's huff of annoyance.

"No excuses tiger, you need to take care of your ankle if you want it to fully heal," demolishing his own sandwich Ethan surreptitiously watched the stubborn look on Spud's face fade at the nickname, making it harder to ignore his hunger at the evidence of the effect he had on Spud.

"Yes Sir," concentrating solely on eating Spud forced down his pleasure at Ethan's nickname, the memory of Willow's cowardly attack fading to the back of his mind under the warmth of the other man's company. Yawning, he set his plate aside, eyes half-closing as Ethan flicked through the channels before landing on a late-night football game.

Relaxing as Spud's heartrate slowed into sleep Ethan reached out and gently tugged his injured leg to rest across his lap, fitting his hand around the other man's slender ankle and massaging the tight muscles he smiled at Spud's sleepy murmur of enjoyment. For a moment his mind leapt to the not unappealing idea of trying to form a Vessel bond with Spud, even ignoring how much he wanted to _taste_ Spud's blood the increased healing factor would be an undoubtable benefit to the other man. Still, as much as he could never imagine Spud betraying him like Sophia had he wasn't sure if he'd ever be ready to take that step again … no, it was much safer to ignore his growing desire for the other man.

Tuning back into the game it was only as his team had no possibility of winning that Ethan finally noticed how quick Spud's heart was racing, glancing over he frowned at the pained expression on the other man's face. Hesitating on whether to wake him up he finally moved to shift Spud's legs off his lap, freezing when the smaller man cried out and kicked free of his hold, scrabbling into the corner where he huddled as small as possible.

Swallowing his worry Ethan slid off the couch and crouched next to Spud, careful not to touch he forced his voice to be calm and firm, "wake up Spud, you're having a nightmare." Taking the risk of making things worse he squeezed Spud's hand, rage rising its head as blue eyes blinked open and darted fearfully around, clearly looking for someone. He had no doubt that someone was Willow.

Flinching as a voice called out again Spud turned his gaze to the large hand holding his, following the arm up to dark eyes and a familiar handsome face. Confused, fear still making his heart pound it took a second to realize it really was Ethan and with a low gasp he threw himself at the bigger man, burrowing frantically into his solid strength.

"Hey shh, it's okay tiger," adjusting his hold so Spud was tucked more securely into his arms Ethan stood and sat down on the couch. "I've got you," smoothing a hand down Spud's back he kept up a soft murmur of words until the smaller man stopped shaking and sagged against his chest. "Nightmare I take it?" Hating the bitter edge of fear that had crept back into Spud's usual warm scent he tightened his grip when the other man briefly tried to pull away.

"Yes," sighing when Ethan didn't let go Spud pushed past his embarrassment and lifted his head, smiling faintly at the concern on Ethan's face the fear from his nightmare faded enough to be aware of how intimately he was pressed against the bigger man. "Sorry if I disturbed you Sir. I'm okay now." Flushing when Ethan's hand dropped to squeeze his knee he had to scramble out of his lap before his body betrayed him, "I, I think I'll go to bed." Words tumbling over each other his breath caught in his throat when Ethan stood in one smooth motion, standing so close for one pulse-pounding second he thought Ethan was going to kiss him before he realizing he was holding out his arm.

"I'll help you," pure satisfaction deepening his voice as the fear in Spud's scent shifted to arousal Ethan pushed his own desire to the side, as flattering as it was to know Spud wanted him he wasn't ready to take their friendship to that level. Not yet anyway.


	30. Not Safe

Reading the text from Spud that he was fine and Willow hadn't touched him Ethan only half paid attention to whatever his Aunt was complaining about. It was only the mention of Spud's name that had him tuning back in, interrupting abruptly, "I'm sorry Aunt D could you repeat that?"

Huffing Dixie crossed her arms over her chest, "honestly Ethan I wish you would pay more attention to me when I'm speaking to you."

"Sorry Aunt D," flashing his most charming smile Ethan slipped his phone in his pocket. "I'm paying attention now."

"I was saying Spud had the terrible idea to throw me a welcome back party as it hadn't taken me weeks to persuade the board to put me back in a position of authority over in-ring decisions while he did nothing to help me." Rolling her eyes at the memory of all those tacky decorations Dixie resisted the urge to sigh at the way Ethan's face froze before settling into a neutral expression, knowing he was about to defend Spud.

"Come on Aunt D, you know Spud would do anything for our family," forcing back a trickle of anger at his Aunt's dismissive shrug Ethan swallowed down his frustration. "Spud put himself in danger for me Aunt D, Willow would have put me through a table last week if he hadn't come down to the ring. With an injured ankle I might add. Not to mention his success in distracting Willow again tonight."

Looking into her nephew's determined eyes Dixie smiled faintly and patted him on the arm, "I was impressed by that darling, perhaps I've allowed my nerves to get the best of me and took that out on Spud. Why don't you go check on him and offer my apologies, it really was rather sweet of him to think of me."

"Sure Aunt D," even though he was slightly suspicious over the abrupt change in attitude he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. "I'll see you at home." At her absent-minded wave of dismissal Ethan made his way to the conference room Spud was hiding out in.

Pushing the door open the first thing that hit him was Willow's foul scent overlaying Spud's and then what a mess the room was in. Tensing in preparation of a fight Ethan's breath rushed out at finding Spud alone, turning to look at him with such a lost expression he was pulling the smaller man into a hug before being aware of moving. "What happened in here? The last text I got from you said everything was fine," releasing one arm but keeping Spud tucked close he gestured to the destroyed room. "This doesn't look like everything is fine."

"Willow is what happened Sir," sighing shakily Spud soaked in the comfort and safety from Ethan's embrace, the last traces of the mini panic attack he'd had when Willow had burst in fading. "Not that it matters now, your Aunt hated all of this. I think she's disappointed in me."

"She's just stressed tiger. Don't take anything she said to heart, I know she didn't mean it. After all she sent me here to apologize on her behalf," stepping back Ethan straightened Spud's bowtie, breath catching at the way those blue eyes lit up.

"Really Sir? She said that?" Voice breaking in his excitement Spud cleared his throat and refused to blush at the amused smirk on the other man's face. "You're not just saying that are you Ethan?"

Smirking Ethan clapped his hand on the smaller man's shoulder and shoved him towards the nearest pile of debris. "I never say anything I don't mean and right now this room needs to be cleaned up so we can get something to eat. I'm starving," picking up a handful of ripped streamers and tossing them in the garbage he tried not to let his mind stray to the temptation to indulge in a meal of a different kind, still able to feel Spud's pulse under his fingers.

Watching Ethan tidy for a moment Spud took a deep breath to steady his voice, aware in this moment he so completely in love with the other man there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for him. "Yes Sir, thank you for helping."

Dropping Spud off at his apartment Ethan remained outside for over an hour, fingers tight on the wheel as he tried to convince himself to leave, the knowledge he was leaving Spud alone and vulnerable if Willow decided to attack almost more than he could bear. Protective instincts screaming in protest as he finally put the car in gear and drove away, he knew he had to fix this situation before he snapped and directly eliminated the danger.

Entering the house Ethan wandered towards the delicious smell of baking cookies, pausing in the kitchen doorway he forced a smile at his Aunt and Uncle's cheerful greeting. Reassured to find them both in a good mood he decided it was time to bring up an idea that had been kicking around in the back of his mind, "hey, I was hoping to catch you both together, I have an idea I want to run past you."

"Of course, darling," smacking Serg's hand when he reached for a handful of cooling cookies Dixie smiled encouragingly at her nephew, she hasn't seen him quite this nervous in a while. "What's on your mind?"

Taking a seat at one of the bar stools Ethan took a deep fortifying breath, "I want to ask Spud to move into the guest room in my wing for a few weeks, just until this whole thing with Willow blows over." By the darkening of his Aunt's expression he knew she was going to say no and he turned his best puppy dog eyes on her, "please Aunt D, Spud is my friend and I …" tracing his finger along the cool marble he glanced away for a second, admitting roughly. "I don't like knowing he's alone and at risk, it makes my other half restless."

Stepping up alongside his wife Serg wrapped his arm around her waist, squeezing until she gave in and leaned against him. "We have no problem with you asking Spud to move in for a while Ethan, goodness knows he's no trouble. We'll tell the children to be careful what they say in front of him _but _it's up to you to ensure he doesn't find out about us. I think the last thing any of us wants is to have to wipe that young man's memory." He knew he'd made the right decision to override his wife when Ethan looked up and smiled, until this moment he hadn't recognized how tense his nephew had become. Besides he had a very good feeling about Spud, the young British wrestler might finally be the one to tempt Ethan into forming another bond. God knows it was well past time Ethan experienced one again before he risked never getting over his fear and missed out of one of their greatest gifts.

"Thank you Uncle Serg, Aunt D. I promise Spud won't find out," snatching a cookie before his Aunt could stop him Ethan stuffed it in his mouth, grinning as the huge weight lifted off his shoulders. Now all he needed to do was convince Spud to go along with his plan, and how hard could that be, ego aside he knew there wasn't much Spud wouldn't do for him.

Forcing a smile Dixie waited until Ethan practically skipped from the room before turning a glare on her husband, annoyed when all he did was raise an eyebrow and grin. "Why on earth did you agree to allow Spud to move into our house? The last thing I need is for my Chief of Staff to suspect there is anything different about us." Or to grow closer to Ethan she finished in her mind, aware her husband did not share her view on their odd friendship.

"Ethan will ensure he doesn't find out," shrugging dismissingly Serg tugged Dixie into his arms, nuzzling against her neck he smiled as she shivered and relaxed. "Although you have to admit Spud would be perfect for Ethan to bond with, it's been far too long since that horrible fiasco with Sophia."

Growling at the mention of the horrible bitch who'd almost taken Ethan from them Dixie pulled away from her husband and crossed her arms, she absolutely did not want to admit Serg might be right. "In case it has escaped your notice dearest, Spud is a man."

"I have noticed, as I'm sure Ethan has as well," wagging his eyebrows Serg grinned as his wife huffed, used to how slowly she moved with the changing times he didn't let her prejudice bother him. Sooner or later she'd change her mind. "Besides I'm not sure it matters. Spud is the first person to break through Ethan's walls, and you know better than I how valuable Vessel Bonds are. The day he finds his mate he'll need that experience."

"Fine, I admit Spud might be good experience for Ethan," giving in with ill-grace Dixie snatched a cookie, the warm chocolate soothing the unhappiness at the idea of her nephew bonding with another man. "I won't interfere, but neither am I going to stop trying to find him a proper woman to bond with. Ethan's friendship with Spud only proves he might be ready to finally form another bond."

"Deal," shaking his wife's hand Serg spun her around and dipped her, stealing a cookie as she laughed and rolled her eyes. He'd done what he could, now he just hoped Ethan was up to the task of moving past his fears.


	31. Persuaded

Crossing his arms Spud glared angrily at the opposite wall. They'd had Willow in a handicap match and still lost. As much as he'd tried not to let his fear control him there had been times when all he'd wanted to do was get out of the ring and as far away from Willow as possible. It was this distraction that had allowed him to be pinned, frozen under Willow's weight until the three count was and the other man was ripped off him. He'd instinctively rolled out of the way and sat up, watching Ethan lay into Willow with such fierceness he lost his breath at how beautiful Ethan was in his rage. That was when Angle's music rang out and the newly returned wrestler ran out, going after Ethan and forcing him to abandon his beat down of Willow.

Darting a look over at Ethan engrossed in his phone and showing none of the disappointment he felt in himself he massaged his aching forehead. Finally tired of the silence he sighed and stood up, walking over to stand in front of Ethan until he looked up.

Quirking an eyebrow at the serious expression on Spud's face Ethan set his phone aside and gave the other man his full attention, "something on your mind?" It had taken some heavy meditation to calm his rage at how Willow had manhandled Spud and even now with Spud standing safely in front of him his other half still wanted to track Willow down and rip his throat out.

"I'm sorry for losing the match Sir. I didn't mean to let Willow get to me I just …" rushing almost desperately through an apology Spud broke off, biting his lip when Ethan grabbed his hand and tugged him closer.

Smiling reassuringly Ethan rubbed his thumb across Spud's knuckles, "don't worry about it, Willow will get what's coming to him sooner or later." Clearing his throat he forced his fangs back at the way Spud's pulse jumped under his touch, "right now I have something else on my mind."

Shivering as Ethan's fingers curved snugly around his wrist Spud glanced down, a slow trickle of heat at the way the bigger man's hand completely encircled his wrist made his voice breathless, "is it something I can help with?"

"Yes, in fact you're a rather integral part," tightening his grip Ethan was thankful for his decades of control as Spud looked at him, the usual warm blue of his eyes dark with desire. "I want you to move in with me for a few weeks."

Blinking rapidly Spud was only aware of his mouth falling open when Ethan laughed lightly and gently nudged his jaw shut. Flushing bright red he pulled his hand free and crossed his arms, "you're bloody joking right mate?"

Grinning at Spud's disbelieving stare Ethan kept his voice firm, "I'm not kidding. Willow is crazy and I want you safe and sound behind a top of the line security system." He held up a hand when Spud would have protested, "and before you think of a reason to object Aunt D and Uncle Serg are in full agreement." There was a small stubborn frown on Spud's face so he pulled out the big guns, "please tiger, for me."

Groaning at the puppy dog eyes Ethan turned on him Spud felt his resolve to say no melt away, "I … if you're sure Sir then yes of course I will." Huffing at Ethan's satisfied smile he cursed the fact he found it impossible to resist the bigger man. "I just hope you don't come to regret the offer."

"I think I'm safe on that Spud. Now come on let's get out of here and go for a drink." Snagging his luggage Ethan held the door open, already his other half was purring in contentment at knowing Spud was going to be under his protection at all times.

Dragging Spud to his favourite bar Ethan ordered their drinks and silently clinked glasses, "here's to living together." Stilling the other man's nervous tapping he turned Spud's hand over and squeezed his fingers, hiding the hint of emerging fang as Spud's heart beat picked up, "stop worrying tiger."

"Are you sure your Aunt is okay with me moving in?" Licking his lips Spud hesitated on voicing his fears, only the warmth of Ethan's hand in his giving him the courage. "You know she doesn't exactly approve of our … friendship right?"

"My Aunt is old-fashioned in some of her ideas," amused by Spud's painstakingly careful word choice Ethan sighed when he didn't look reassured. "It's nothing you need to worry about I promise. They both agreed it was a good idea for you to move in until this situation with Willow is settled and that's all that matters."

Allowing his fears to be allayed Spud nodded, relaxing enough to take a sip of his drink, "okay Sir. I guess I'll pack a few things and talk one of my neighbours into keeping an eye on my apartment. It shouldn't take more than a few days."

Instant red sweeping over his vision Ethan closed his eyes and breathed in Spud's unique scent for a second, so easy to pick out even in the crowded room. "You have until tomorrow Spud, then packed or not you're moving in." Turning his head he glared when Spud opened his mouth to protest, "tomorrow Spud. I won't have you spending another day at risk."

"Honestly Ethan," huffing Spud turned to fully face the other man, protesting despite Ethan's increasing scowl, "I need more time than that." He tried not to be charmed out of his determination when one of Ethan's eyebrows rose, a slow, sweet smile spreading across his face.

"Don't worry tiger, I'll help," dropping a handful of bills on the bar and nodding to the bartender Ethan draped his arm around Spud's shoulders, steering him towards the exit. "You just point me towards who you want to look in on your apartment and I'll take care of it."

"You don't have to do …" swallowing when Ethan squeezed the back of his neck Spud tipped his face up to meet the other man's amused smirk, cursing the burn of arousal that made his heart race.

Smirk deepening Ethan opened the car door, leaning in towards Spud he lowered his voice, "I don't know if you've noticed this tiger, but I can be awfully charming when I want to be." Laughing lightly and pretending to pout when Spud thumped him on the shoulder his other half rumbled in pleasure at the unsteady beat of the other man's heart. There was no doubt living so close to Spud was going to test his self-control in every single way … he couldn't wait.


	32. Moving in

Hefting a box full of dvd's Ethan pretended to struggle under the heavy load, "did you really need to bring all these?" Grinning as the look of uncertainly on Spud's face shifted to irritation he dropped the box in the corner of the room, satisfied he'd done what he could to distract his friend from Aunt D's less than warm welcome.

"You're going to be bloody grateful I brought them Ethan, don't think I haven't noticed how much you love my 80's movie collection," rolling his eyes at Ethan's unrepentant smirk Spud shook his head and laughed, carrying the last of his luggage into the guest … into his room. After spending last night worrying how he was going to handle living so close to Ethan and then catching the split-second grimace on Mrs. Carter's face before she'd welcomed him to her home it felt good to laugh. None of those concerns seemed to matter however when Ethan followed him in and sprawled out on the bed, a reassuring presence even when doing nothing more than watching him put away his clothes.

"Uncle Serg is barbequing, you're invited to join us of course," holding in a sigh at the doubt flickering across Spud's face Ethan stood and clapped a hand on his shoulder, squeezing firmly. "I know this might be awkward for a few days so you don't have to, but I do want you there." The shy smile Spud flashed at him had his gaze dropping to the pulse beating invitingly under his fingers.

"Of course I'll join you Sir," distracted by the warmth of Ethan's hand Spud shivered at the thumb rubbing slow circles against the side of his neck. It might be too late to prevent Ethan from being aware of how much he enjoyed his touch but it would be disastrous if Dixie ever guessed the thoughts he had about her nephew.

"Good man," dropping his hand Ethan hastily turned away in order to hide his emerging fangs. "Come on now I'll show you around the gardens," regaining control he held the door open and waited for Spud to proceed him, pressing his hand against the smaller man's back he guided him towards the back garden. Stepping out onto the patio he couldn't help but tuck Spud closer when they came within sight of his Aunt, the flash of disapproval on her face making the smaller man tense unhappily.

"There you two are, I was just about to send Serg to get you," holding back a frown Dixie did her best to sound cheerful, Serg had gently reminded her since she'd given permission she might as well make the best of the situation. Plus on the bright side, even if he was standing much too close to Spud her nephew was looking more relaxed than he had in weeks.

"Come on Aunt D you know I wouldn't miss one of Serg's famous grilled burgers," lightly massaging the tight muscles under his hand Ethan was proud of the way Spud lifted his chin and smiled politely. Nudging him gently towards the patio table loaded with food he was grateful when Serg broke the slightly tense atmosphere to draw Spud into an easy conversation on life in America.

Digging in Ethan felt a glow of satisfaction when Spud forgot to be nervous and relaxed beside him, it reassured him he'd made the right choice in inviting the smaller man into his home. Feeling a spark of mischievousness he set his empty beer bottle down and nudged Spud's foot under the table, "would you mind getting me another beer Spud?"

Recognizing the playful look in Ethan's eyes Spud kept his expression pleasantly serene, "of course not Sir." Pushing his plate aside he raised an eyebrow at Dixie and her husband, "can I get anything for either of you as well?"

Shaking his head Serg's mouth thinned a little when his wife chimed in an order for iced tea, surprised she would send Spud for something she'd normally go get herself. Not sure why it bothered him he dismissed his uneasiness to enjoy the rest of the beautiful evening.

However it was an uneasiness that continued to grow over the next few days as Ethan continued to take advantage of Spud's presence until he expected the younger man to snap, especially since his nephew had the knack of asking for the most menial of things. However not once did Spud give any indication it bothered him and he resolved to bring it up with Ethan if the trend continued, perhaps he'd been wrong about the potential for a bond to form between the two.


	33. Ankle Lock

Flopping on the sofa in his Aunt's office Ethan checked his phone for the millionth time, wondering where on Earth Spud could be he barely paid attention to the stream of complaints about Angle until her off-hand mention of setting up a match between the two. Head jerking up he cut her off mid-sentence, voice tight with anger, "what do you mean you booked Spud in a match against Angle?"

"I meant exactly what I said Ethan. And I don't appreciate your tone," straightening the paperwork on her desk Dixie reigned in her own anger, really this obsession her nephew had with Spud was getting out of control. Despite Serg's belief Ethan might form a bond with Spud she was holding out for a better candidate, there were so many lovely young ladies she could introduce him to.

"Sorry Aunt D, it's just, Spud's ankle isn't completely healed and Angle has a habit of targeting ankles," jaw bunching Ethan barely managed to keep his tone on the right side of respectful, resentment bubbling up at her complete disregard for Spud's health. "Willow is probably just waiting for the chance to attack when Spud is distracted by a match too."

Dixie waved her hand dismissively, "you worry too much darling, Spud will be fine. Angle won't hurt him and Spud is good enough in the ring to hopefully get in a little damage himself." With MVP occupied with his own petty feuds and staying out of her hair she was determined not to let her nephews' tone and continued need to be Spud's protector dampen her mood.

"Right, sure Aunt D," giving in Ethan stood and tucked his phone away. Arguing was getting him nowhere. It was time to find Spud, he had no doubt other man was likely worrying himself sick about disappointing either him or his Aunt. "Anyway, I'm off. I'll see you later." Barely pausing to acknowledge her dismissal he stepped outside, zeroing in on Spud's scent he followed it to a spare dressing room, eyes flashing red and a growl rumbling in his throat at the idea that Spud had been hiding from him.

Barging into the locker room Ethan drew up short, momentary anger easing at the dejected look on Spud's face, he had unfortunately grown very familiar with that look, "I heard about your match. Do you need the speech again tiger?" Smiling teasingly and giving into the need to touch he moved in to straighten Spud's bowtie.

"I don't think Kurt Angle is going to believe I'm any sort of tiger Sir," sighing Spud tipped his chin up to give Ethan easy access, almost grateful for the familiar burn of arousal as warm and steady fingers grazed along his neck.

Leaning closer Ethan breathed in Spud's sweet scent, satisfaction burning through him at the faint hint of his own scent mixed in, "that's why you need to be a gazelle this time." Eyes dropping to the pulse beating so temptingly just under the thin silk of Spud's bowtie he forced himself to pull back at the warning tingle of emerging fangs. "Angle is fresh out of an injury; his knee can't be as healthy as he'd want. You need to be fast and agile, stay away from him as long as you can and only take a shot when you're sure you can connect."

"Oh, that sounds like a good plan," voice faint at the intensity in Ethan's dark eyes Spud slid off the table, swallowing when the bigger man didn't move back a step. Leaving them standing so close his heart started to pound, "thank you, Sir."

Allowing his affection to openly show Ethan lightly chucked Spud under the jaw, "you're my friend Spud, I care about you." The delighted smile the smaller man bestowed on him only made the instinct to protect him from Angle all the more powerful, "and you won't be alone. I'll be with you."

Pacing in front of the ring, nails biting into his palm Ethan found it a hundred times more difficult than he'd anticipated to stand back and allow Kurt to deliberately target Spud's injured ankle. It was perhaps a blessing that Kurt cinched the Angle Lock in the second the bell rang, giving Spud no choice but to tap out almost instantly under the vicious hold. Only a lifetime of control kept him from tearing Angle apart at Spud's involuntary whimpers, barely audible even to his superior hearing.

Leaning in while the ref was busy raising Angle's hand he tugged Spud to safety, steadying him when he stumbled and hissed in pain. Ignoring Spud's protests Ethan scooped the smaller man into his arms and backed up the ramp, scowling in disgust at the smugly satisfied look Kurt turned on him. As if taking advantage of an already injured opponent was an accomplishment.

Squirming against Ethan's tight grip Spud fought down his embarrassment at being carried so publicly, "I can walk Sir." His pulse jumped at Ethan's low growl and he hastily backtracked on meeting his narrowed gaze, "or you can carry me."

Laughing under his breath Ethan tightened his hold, "wise choice tiger." The sharp sting of distress at having stood back and watched Spud's ankle be re-injured eased at how easily the smaller man relaxed into his arms. Carrying him straight to the trainer's room he barged in without knocking, dismissing the Doctor's half-hearted protest he set Spud down on the examination table, "you are getting that ankle checked out and don't even think of arguing." Holding stubborn blue eyes he waited until Spud huffed and reluctantly nodded before backing away to make room for the Doctor.

Holding his breath as the Doctor rotated his ankle Spud swallowed against the urge to wince, taking in the worried expression on Ethan's face he didn't want to give the other man any excuse to put him back in that bloody wheelchair.

"Well it doesn't appear you did any additional damage Mr. Curtin, just ice it and stay off it as much as you can." Hiding his relief at the Doctor's brusque diagnostic Spud raised a pointed eyebrow at Ethan, opening his mouth to protest when the bigger man simply shook his head and slid an arm around his waist, helping him off the table.

"Argue and I'm carrying you," amused at Spud's pout Ethan led the way to their locker room, jaw clenching on passing Angle he had to firmly clamp down on his rage at the other man's smirk, concentrating instead of taking most of Spud's weight. Closing the door behind them he pushed Spud towards the bathroom, "go shower and get changed, I'll take care of packing up." In no time he had their luggage collected, sweeping Spud out to the car the second he was ready, with anger still raging under the surface all he wanted to do was get them safely back to their suite so he could properly take care of the smaller man.

Thankfully the drive to their hotel was short and he had Spud ensconced on the couch with an ice pack on his ankle while room service was its way. Ideally what he really needed to do was take this chance to go out and hunt, hunger was starting to sink its claws in a little too deeply and that was dangerous with Spud so close, that tempting scent further fraying the edges of his control.

Changing into comfortable clothes he was just in time to answer the door, gesturing the attendant in to arrange their meal on the dining table he couldn't hide his amusement when Spud immediately zeroed in on the pot of tea, pouring a cup before the server had even left the room.

"Nothing can dampen your love of tea I see," teasing Ethan pushed a bottle of muscle relaxants across the table, sitting back in satisfaction as Spud obediently took a dose.

"I wouldn't be a proper Englishman if it could, Sir," digging into a plate of his favourite pasta Spud quelled the slow burn of pleasure at Ethan's laugh. After losing so quickly to Angle it was a balm on his humiliation to know the other man didn't seem to think less of him.

Smirking Ethan raised his glass in a salute, "and of course we can't have you being less than proper," the flush that spread across Spud's face ratcheted up his hunger so quickly he had to firmly stomp on the urge to drag the smaller man onto his lap. Holding his breath he took a hasty sip of wine, maybe it would be best if he slipped out while Spud was sleeping to hunt. The last thing he needed was to lose control. If he ever decided to change his relationship with Spud he wanted it to be his choice and not one forced on him due to need.

Finishing the meal and tidying away the dirty dishes Ethan turned a random show on tv, waiting until Spud's heart beat slowed into that of sleep he stood and carefully eased the smaller man into his arms. Using a small tendril of power to send Spud deeper asleep he couldn't hold back a low groan as the other man shifted sleepily and pressed his face into his neck. Fangs dropping under the teasing sensation he hastily tucked Spud in bed, crushing the urge to join the other man under iron control he almost fled the room. Forcing all thoughts of Spud and how easy it would be to feed from him from his mind, he concentrated solely on the hunt.


	34. Movie Night

By the time they landed in Nashville Spud was able to walk without a limp, but not without pain – infuriatingly well-hidden pain. If there was one thing Ethan had learned it was how much Spud hated to be considered a burden to those he cared about, a trait that made it increasingly frustrating to try and keep the smaller man safe. Especially when it seemed like every time he turned his back Spud was getting injured. Which was why he insisted they stay in and have a movie night, forcing Spud to stay off his ankle while he collected the popcorn and drinks, something he made sure Serg didn't see. It was becoming way too entertaining to watch the vein at his temple throb whenever he ordered Spud to do something.

Snatching a handful of popcorn out of Spud's bucket Ethan teasingly flicked a few at him. "I get to choose the movie since I slaved away making this popcorn."

Tossing a handful back Spud hid a smile as one landed in the other man's dark hair, "of course Sir, I do hope Serg didn't spot you. I'd hate for him to think you've given up on ordering me around," laughing outright at the teasing swat to the back of his head he leaned into Ethan's side, grateful for these precious moments of peace. Lately it seemed like all he was ever doing was recovering from an injury or worrying about what either Willow's or Angle's next move would be. Not to mention Dixie's growing fixation on Bully so just the simple act of spending time with his best friend was enough to lift the weight of worry from his shoulders. Soon lulled by the warmth at his side and surrounded by the earthy richness of Ethan's cologne he drifted off to sleep.

Swimming up through the layers of sleep Spud blinked in confusion at the darkened room, unsure what had disturbed him he was just about to drift off again when the sound repeated, a low cry breaking the silence. Twisting sideways it took him a second to realize the distressed moans were coming from Ethan. Scrambling to sit up he leaned over and squeezed his shoulder, "sir, sir wake up." Biting his lip when Ethan flinched away he shook him just a little harder, trying to pry him out of whatever nightmare held him under. "It's okay Ethan, you're safe. It's just a nightmare," murmuring softly he desperately curled his fingers into Ethan's shirt, holding on as the bigger man woke with a choked off shout.

Gasping and shaking Ethan dragged himself up from the depths of an old memory, calming as Spud's soothing accent washed over him. Exhaling roughly he didn't resist when Spud pulled him into a hug, burrowing into the smaller man's warmth, "sorry tiger," swallowing past the tightness in his throat he breathed steadily, Spud's scent slowly replacing the horror. He'd been dreaming of the first concentration camp his team had entered, the surrounding stench of death and despair had been so thick even more than fifty years later he doubted he'd ever fully escape its grip.

Weaving his fingers through Ethan's dark hair Spud rubbed comforting circles against his scalp, keeping his voice to a quiet murmur, "no need to be sorry sir. I've got you now, you don't have to be strong all the time," smiling when Ethan leaned further into him despite his rumble of disagreement. Not willing to disrupt the fragile peace he shifted and tugged until they were both comfortably sprawled out on the large couch, wrapping his arms around Ethan's shoulders he resumed his careful petting strokes. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," shaking his head Ethan took comfort in the steady beat of Spud's heart. As much as he wanted to confide in the smaller man there was no way he could talk about his memories of the war without sounding crazy or confessing the truth. "Maybe someday," fumbling for the remote he turned the tv off and plunged the room into darkness. "Do you might if we just stay here for a while?" Normally he wouldn't have allowed anyone to hear the weakness in his voice but Spud had managed to slip past all his normal defenses.

Curving a hand protectively around the back of Ethan's head Spud held on a little bit tighter, "of course not sir." Closing his eyes he drew random patterns up and down Ethan's broad back, forcing himself to ignore a bolt of lust when the bigger man moaned in sleepy enjoyment and pressed closer.

Waking in slow degrees Ethan instinctively nuzzled closer to the source of the delicious scent making his gums ache, fangs descending he nipped lazily, hips thrusting against an answering hardness that had him fully aroused in an instant. Groaning awareness abruptly swept over him, raising his head he stared down at his best friend, breath hissing out in a startled whine when the smaller man threw a leg over his hip and tried to pull him back. Swearing, vision swimming with red he gripped Spud's hip and halted his motions, wavering so close on the edge of losing control he had to sink into his mind and block out how sinfully perfect it felt to have Spud under him so obviously hard and wanting.

Shutting down every instinct screaming at him to press forward and wake Spud, to claim the smaller man like his other half wanted Ethan forced himself to pull away, fingers ripping through the couch cushion at Spud's disappointed sigh. Long moments passed as he regained control, not daring to move or even look at Spud until his vision returned to normal and he could retract his fangs. Finally standing he turned his attention back to the other man, huffing out a laugh at the contorted position Spud had managed to roll into.

Easing Spud upright, soothing his sleepy protest Ethan gathered the smaller man in his arms and carried him to his room, drawing the covers over him securely he left and shut the door behind him. It was only as he sank into his own cold, empty bed that he realized for the first time he'd managed to fall back to sleep after having a nightmare about the war. Hugging his pillow the arousal still raging under his skin melting into something softer, the peace he'd found in Spud's arms following him into sleep once again.


	35. Bully's Threat

Pacing from one end of the locker room to the other while waiting for Ethan to finish getting ready Spud paid particular attention to how his ankle felt. With a tag match against the duo of Willow and Angle only moments away he was relieved to find almost no pain. Perhaps he shouldn't have complained quite so much about Ethan forcing him to take it easy, not that he'd admit that out loud … Ethan had enough of an ego as it was.

"Alright, I'm ready. Let's head to the ring before Aunt D sends out a search party," turning to face the other man Spud found his gaze drawn to Ethan's chest, barely hearing his next words under the hot wave of desire sweeping over him. As much as he should be used to how incredible Ethan looked shirtless, the other man's attractiveness still had the power to leave him breathless.

Inhaling Spud's tempting scent, deeper now with a musky hint of arousal Ethan couldn't resist teasing even while fighting his emerging fangs, "my eyes are further up tiger." His mouth twitched into a smile at the bright red blush blazing across Spud's face, the smaller man looking away hastily and scrambling for an excuse.

"I … I wasn't … I," stopping to collect himself Spud forced down his need to make excuses, looking up at Ethan's amused and very smug smile he knew it would be useless anyway. "I'm sorry I didn't catch what you said, could you repeat it?"

"I asked if your ankle is okay?" Deciding to let Spud off the hook Ethan repeated himself instead of teasing further, the other man's almost inaudible sigh of relief doing little to soften the edge of hunger.

"Oh," flush increasing Spud let his gaze drop to the floor, he hated the idea Ethan might be worried he wasn't up to the task of fighting by his side, "it's fine Sir. I, I promise I won't let you down in our match."

Frowning Ethan stepped forward and tipped Spud's face up with gentle fingers, determinedly meeting his worried blue eyes, "hey now tiger, I'm not worried about you letting me down. I _know_ I can depend on you. What I am worried about is Willow or Angle trying to injure your ankle. I want you to promise me to tag out when you need to."

Swallowing, very aware of the warmth of Ethan's fingers against his skin Spud nodded, "yes Sir, I promise." It was worth the knock to his pride to see the relief lighten Ethan's eyes.

"Good man," clapping the smaller man on the shoulder Ethan directing him out the door and down to gorilla, despite Spud's assurance he vowed to keep a close eye out. Somehow, he suspected Willow would not be playing by any kind of rule.

A suspicion that proved correct when Willow tagged in the second Spud was in the ring, cackling madly and making repeated grabs for his ankle, the wild spike of fear in Spud's scent enough to send his _need_ to protect into overdrive. Gripping the ropes, the steel creaking ominously Ethan forced himself to simply tag Spud the second he was close enough, tugging the smaller man safely out of Willow's reach and backing the violently grinning madman into his own corner. "Stay away from him," hissing warningly he stepped back as Angle tagged in, glowering when Willow only jumped around madly in response.

Annoyed at Angle's smugness and with his temper dangerously near to the boiling point at Willow's continuous attempts to intimidate Spud he gave the match up as a bad effort. Not even bothering to wait to be counted out he strode up the ramp, tugging Spud along with him he ignored his Aunt calling his name the moment they were through the curtain.

"I don't think your Aunt is happy with you right now Sir," twisting his head to look back Spud winced at the glower on his boss's face, he had a sinking feeling this would somehow turn out to be his fault.

"She'll get over it, I wasn't in the mood to deal with Angle anyway," shoving the door to his locker room open Ethan waved dismissively, locking the door behind him he relaxed at Spud's eyeroll. "I'm going to shower, we'll go once the show is over. No sense in annoying Aunt D even further at leaving early."

"Yes, Sir, I'll pack up," flicking the live feed on Spud slid his bowtie off, dropping it in his bag he changed quickly, well used to needing to shower back at the hotel. It hadn't taken him long to realize how much Ethan loved taking long showers, and how much his mood improved after one. By the time Ethan joined him on the couch he had their luggage packed up and a small plate of finger sandwiches laid out on the coffee table along with a carafe of iced tea.

Accepting a glass of iced tea and grabbing a sandwich Ethan sighed in contentment, leaning into Spud's slight frame, "thanks tiger, I can always count on you to take care of me." Peering sideways he didn't fight the rush of tender warmth at the flush spreading across Spud's face, all his previous tension dissipating completely under his affection for the smaller man.

Clearing his throat Spud breathed in the warm sandalwood scent of the other man's cologne, trying to still the wild beat of his heart, "always Sir." Ducking his head at Ethan's slow smile he forced his attention to the tv, sometimes he half-suspected Ethan said such things to deliberately get a rise out of him. Bully's music playing from the tv shattered the restful mood between them and exchanging a worried look with Ethan he sat forward.

"What is that idiot up to now," setting his glass aside Ethan frowned as Bully started to drag tables out from under the ring. The other wrestler was seriously starting get on his last nerve, his other half stirring at the flicker of promised violence.

"I don't know but I don't have a good feeling about it," clutching Ethan's arm, unaware he had even reached out Spud held his breath as Bully set up the three tables, garbage bags covering the tops. Cursing as the first bag was ripped off to reveal his name dread filled him as the next two turned out to be Ethan and Dixie Carter, knowing without a doubt this little stunt was going to tip his boss over the edge. She was more than half-obsessed Bully already. Turning to Ethan he opened his mouth only to pause, while he wasn't surprised by the furious expression on his face he had to shake his head, for a second he could have sworn the other man's eyes were red.

Catching Spud's slight flinch Ethan suppressed his rage and quickly schooled his expression, forcing his eyes back to normal he grasped Spud's hand and squeezed his cold fingers, "don't worry, I won't let Bully put you through a table." Warmed when Spud's worried expression melted into a grateful smile he had to look down or risk red swirling into his eyes again.

"Thank you, Ethan, I won't let Bully put you through a table either," squeezing back Spud hesitated, teeth digging into his lip, "truth be told I'm most worried about how your Aunt is going to take this. She's been rather … fixated on Bully lately."

Huffing out a laugh Ethan stood, tugging Spud up with him, "obsessed is more like it but Aunt D will do what she wants to do. I learned at a young age not to try and stop her. It'll be up to us to make sure she stays safe." Squeezing Spud's shoulder when he only nodded uncertainly he grabbed their luggage, "come on, let's get out of here and brain storm ways to make Bully regret this stunt."

"Yes Sir," holding back on revealing the extent of his worry Spud followed behind the other man, there was no way things were going to be as easy as Ethan seemed to think. Bully wasn't going to give up, and Dixie Carter would never back down.


	36. Fun by the Pool

Early spring had loosened winter's hold, bright blue skies welcoming them back to Nashville after last night's disaster of a show. Between Spud still upset he'd let Willow get to him in their tag team match no matter how often he assured him he wasn't angry to Aunt D's cold fury at his throwing the match and Bully's stunt with the tables Ethan was looking forward to simply relaxing. Even with all the recent turmoil the whole family was quick to take advantage of the beautiful weather.

Keeping a close eye on the kids as they shrieked and splashed in the pool while he grilled burgers Serg rolled his eyes at his nephew's lethargic form. The younger man had already spent hours doing nothing but lay out in the sun working on his tan and it certainly didn't look like he planned on moving any time soon.

Tilting his face into the light breeze Ethan forced down the trickle of irritation at how long it was taking Spud to join him, he really needed to teach the other man there was a time and a place for work and a beautiful sunny day wasn't one of them. Stretching lazily he finally heard Spud approaching from the direction of the kitchen, along with the welcome sound of beer bottles clinking together.

Looking up he sucked in a sharp breath, Spud's hair gleamed like spun gold in the sunshine and the sight had the flicker of an old dream teasing at the edges of his memory. The details remained frustratingly out of reach and he had the feeling it had once been important to him. Shrugging the uncomfortable feeling aside he let his gaze travel down Spud's body, grateful for the sunglasses hiding the red swamping his vision. In a pair of light blue trunks Spud was all smooth skin and slim muscle and it was a struggle not to give into the itch to touch. Men weren't his usual preference but there was no denying he very much _wanted_ Spud.

"Here you go Sir, sorry for being late," handing over a cold beer Spud claimed the lounger next to Ethan and forced himself not to look at all the golden skin on display. It had taken him longer then intended to finish the paperwork Dixie had assigned and the increasing volume of texts from Ethan had clearly showed his impatience.

"Don't worry about it," waving dismissively Ethan was careful to keep his fangs hidden until he was able to force them back, scratching idly at the label he glanced over at his Uncle. Feeling a glimmer of mischief he raised his voice, "did my suits get dropped off at the dry cleaners?" Even from his peripheral vision he could see Serg's frown, the older man had been becoming more obvious with his disapproval on the way he ordered Spud around for the smallest of tasks. What he didn't understand was how Serg hadn't spotted the gleam of amusement in Spud's eyes whenever he asked the smaller man to do something trivial. But it at least made the game to see if he could find something to crack Spud's composure more fun.

Blinking innocently Spud saw Serg shake his head in disgust from the corner of his eye, "of course sir." Pulling out his phone he made a big production over checking his email, "they should be ready to be picked up in about two hours."

"Spud isn't here to take care of your dry cleaning Ethan," Spud bit his lip as Serg's scolding voice made Ethan huff and toss his sunglasses to the side.

Shrugging off Serg's admonishment Ethan climbed to his feet and stretched lazily, standing over Spud's chair he deliberately flexed as those blue eyes fell to his chest, "Spud doesn't mind … do you Spud?"

"Anything to help, Sir," proud of how steady his voice emerged there was very little warning before Ethan grabbed his wrist and dragged him to his feet with such easy strength heat coiled through his body. Squeaking embarrassingly Spud steadied himself against Ethan's chest, shivering at the glorious feel of bare skin under his fingers his heart rate spiked at the other man's smug smile.

Blood heating at Spud's reaction to his touch, very evident in the pulse racing under his fingers Ethan pulled the phone out of his grasp and dropped it on the chair, "good boy." He grinned triumphantly when the smaller man's eyes narrowed in annoyance, positive he was about to get Spud to snap at him in front of Serg and lose their little game.

Spotting Serg's look of disappointment Spud was just able to rein in his first impulse to tell Ethan where he could stick his 'good boy'. Digging his nails into the firm muscles under his hand and using the distracting flare of desire he managed to hang onto his temper, "thank you, Sir. I do try my best." Peering through his eyelashes he held back smile at the resignation flashing across Ethan's face, worry hitting him a split second later at the sly smile replacing it.

Tightening his grip as Spud abruptly tried to back up Ethan scooped the smaller up and threw him over his shoulder, easily ignoring the affronted protests and the wild squirming he carried Spud towards the pool and tossed him in. Eyes gleaming in amusement when Spud broke the surface looking very much like an indignant cat, hair plastered to his face and glaring blue fire at him he kneeled down and murmured low enough Serg couldn't hear him, "one of these days tiger your very impressive control will snap." Laughing at the rude gesture he got in return he graciously offered his hand despite Spud's scowl.

"Not bloody likely _Sir_," firmly grasping Ethan's wrist Spud gave into his annoyance at the other man's smug amusement. Bracing his legs against the side of the pool he yanked the bigger man into the water, laughing at Ethan's startled shout.

The sound of Spud's delighted laughter greeted him as he surfaced and Ethan let a small grin curl the corner of his lips when the other man tried to back away on seeing his expression. Shaking water out of his hair he growled in mock anger, "oh you're going to pay for that." Using his longer reach he quickly snagged the smaller man's wrist and tugged him closer, smirking as blue eyes widened in alarm he dunked him underwater before he could protest.

Coughing out water Spud swept his hair out of his eyes and glared at Ethan's pleased smile, "I hope you realize this means war." This time Ethan was the one to back away and paying no attention to his protest he jumped on him, using his momentum to push them both underwater. Surfacing and grinning at Ethan's disgruntled pout he wrapped his arms and legs around the bigger man to stop from being tossed off. Firmly squashing the rising excitement being all but plastered against Ethan's chest it was soon it was an all-out war to see who could force the other underwater the most.

Stepping out on the patio Dixie's eyes were immediately drawn to the pool, frowning at the sight of her missing Chief of Staff all over her nephew as they roughhoused in the water. Annoyed she cleared her throat, "boys, boys, it's time to stop now." Ignoring her husband's eyeroll she crossed her arms, normally she wouldn't interfere with whatever Ethan did with his free time but she needed Spud to run some errands. Plus as much as she tried to keep an open mind she just couldn't get past the two men's growing closeness. Tapping her foot impatiently she was gratified Spud at least had the decency to flush guiltily under her gaze. "I need you to pick up some papers Spud. Right now, please," her eyes narrowed at the look the two men exchanged, unable to interpret what it meant.

Fighting back embarrassment Spud released his grip on Ethan's arms, "of course Madame." Swimming to the ladder and climbing out of the pool he was uncomfortably aware of the water dripping off his body as his boss flicked an unimpressed look over his bedraggled appearance. Glancing back at Ethan for a second he forced a smile, "I'll just, er, get dressed and leave right away."

"See that you do, it is what I pay you for after all," Spud's smile faltered as he turned to hurry away and Dixie frowned at the obvious irritation on Ethan's face. About to comment she repressed a sigh as her nephew's expression smoothed back to neutral, once again wishing she's never agreed to allow Spud to stay in her house.

Grabbing his towel and the cellphone Spud had forgot in his haste to leave Ethan smiled tightly at his Aunt, forcing down the urge to complain on how she had treated Spud, "I think I'm going to head out for lunch." Walking away before his Aunt could offer an objection he made a quick pit stop in his room to shower and change. If he knew Spud as well as he thought he did he'd have to be fast to catch the other man before he left.

"You forgot your phone," holding the device up Ethan pushed away from the wall as Spud jumped, amused by the rapid thump of the other man's heart he waggled the phone until Spud snatched it from him.

Taking a deep breath to calm his heart Spud smacked Ethan's arm, glaring at the other man's stifled laugh, "you're going to give me a bloody heart attack one of these days, Sir." Tucking his phone into his pocket he was unable to maintain even a sliver of anger as Ethan draped an arm over his shoulders and pulled him into a half hug.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," nuzzling briefly into the soft silk of Spud's hair and inhaling his sweet scent Ethan kept his simmering hunger firmly in check. Guiding the smaller man towards the garage he gently nudged him towards his favourite car, "I thought we might grab lunch in between errands." Watching Spud's eyes light up with pleasure it was a struggle not to give into the desire to lean down the bare inch separating them and kiss the smaller man breathless.

"I'd like that," swallowing at how husky his voice sounded Spud shook off the thought he'd seen a flash of red in Ethan's eyes and climbed into the passenger seat. Looking over at Ethan as he buckled his seat belt he grinned teasingly, "I'll complete your Aunt's errands and you can pick up your own dry cleaning."

Shaking his head Ethan laughed, the last of his bad mood evaporating in the warmth of Spud's friendship, "better be careful tiger, Serg would be all too happy to hear you say that."


	37. Where's Your Boyfriend'

p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;"Standing in the ring as the crowd chanted 'where's your boyfriend' at him Ethan could picture the blush on Spud's face so perfectly it was impossible to resist playing into it. Pretending to ponder the question he subtly gave the prearranged signal and sure enough when Spud's music hit and he came out in the ridiculous blue singlet he'd had to bribe him to wear he could see the bright flush of red. Smirking he held the ropes down for the smaller man to climb in, the plan for this exhibition match had come to him when his Aunt had alerted him that Angle was in the building and pushing for a re-match after last week's debacle./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;""Sir, you might want to rethink the end of this match," hissing under his breath even as he obeyed the gesture to lock up Spud agilely twisted out of the front face hold only to get caught again like they'd planned. Huffing as Ethan only manhandled him into the next series of moves he resolutely ignored the lick of heat at such an easy display of strength and tried again, "the crowd already thinks I'm your boyfriend."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;"Laughing lowly Ethan signaled for Spud to assume the final position despite his frustrated glower, dropping to his knees his hands fell naturally to the smaller man's hips as he leaned over him in a way that was purposely suggestive, "why? You're not ashamed to be thought of as my boyfriend are you tiger?" The way Spud gasped and arched into his grip had him shifting forward minutely, biting back a groan he knew he was in trouble when the fangs he hadn't felt emerge cut into his bottom lip. Spud's racing heartbeat was a siren call to the hunger that was never too far away and it physically hurt to force his fangs back. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;"Angle's music came almost as a relief, with his usual iron control seconds away from failing in way too public of a setting he grasped the excuse to end the exhibition and pull away. Standing quickly he tugged Spud up with him, maneuvering the smaller man slightly in front of him as Angle started insulting them. Not that he paid much attention when Spud stepped back ever so slightly into him, shifting his hunger to something more carnal it was a struggle to maintain a bored expression./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;"Digging his nails into his palms Spud never thought he'd have the chance to be grateful for the concealing support of a jockstrap but with Ethan's warmth teasing along his back all his mind could focus on was how … emgood/em it had felt to have the bigger man pressed so intimately against him. Praying nothing of those thoughts showed on his face he tuned in just in time to hear Angle threaten to break both their ankles before leaving to the adoring cheering of the crowd. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;"Drawing a steadying breath as Ethan stepped back he grumbled, "bloody wanker." Silently obeying Ethan's gentle push to move out of the ring he was barely able to look the other man in the face as the crowd started chanting 'he's your boyfriend' at them./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;""Don't worry about Angle, I'll handle him," glancing down Ethan grinned at Spud's still bright red face, draping an arm around his shoulders just to see him blush more. "And don't worry about the crowd, they're just having fun." Winking he couldn't help but laugh and dart away at the elbow to his ribs./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;""You're impossible Sir," huffing Spud was reluctantly amused at the other man's pretense of being hurt. It was almost enough to distract him from the need to apologize for what had happened, "and they're not just having fun they're implying that you … that a man like you would …"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;"Dropping his hand away from his ribs Ethan straightened up, disturbed at the genuine trace of self-disgust in Spud's voice, "would what tiger? Would date you?" Forcing back a growl at Spud's wide-eyed nod and uncaring of the fact they were still in a public hallway he gripped Spud's jaw and tipped his face up, tone gentling when the other man's lips parted in a surprised gasp, "I think anyone would be lucky to have you as their boyfriend."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;"Ethan's fingers were startling hot against his skin and with his pulse thundering in his ears Spud tried to laugh off the other man's words, "I don't think you'll find many would agree with that Sir." Making the mistake of meeting Ethan's gaze he abruptly found he couldn't look away from the warm darkness, unconsciously swaying closer he shivered under the heat surging through him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;"Fingers tightening as the smaller man's heart rate spiked Ethan couldn't resist stroking a thumb under the tempting lushness of Spud's bottom lip, a fraction of his desire leaking out, "why not? You're loyal, you're fun to be with." Leaning down he breathed in Spud's shuddering gasp, voice dropping to a growl, "you're fucking hot." Spud's low whine, scent deepening into the spice of arousal had his control shattering, fangs descending and on the verge of pushing Spud into the nearest empty room his Aunt's shocked exclamation was like a bucket of cold water over his head./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;""Ethan Carter," glaring as her nephew practically sprang away from her Chief of Staff Dixie clamped down on her anger, counting to ten before continuing more evenly. "If you can spare me a moment, I'd like to have a word with you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;"Feeling like he was ten and caught doing something he shouldn't Ethan nodded hastily, for the second time in one night forcing his fangs back with a painful effort, "of course Aunt D." Turning to Spud he winced at finding the smaller man pale instead of bright red like he'd been expecting, reaching out he ignored the pang of hurt when Spud backed up a step./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;""I'll just go change and pack up our belongings. Sir, Madame," nodding politely to each Carter Spud hurried away, emotions in complete turmoil over what had just happened. Once safely in the privacy of their locker room he sank against the door, touching his mouth it was a struggle to calm his fluttering heart, not sure if Ethan had just been teasing or if he might actually be attracted to him. One thing he was sure of was that he couldn't afford to act any differently until he knew one way or another. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;"Irritated when Ethan's gaze remained fixed on Spud's retreating form Dixie coughed, unwillingly amused when he jumped, "my office Ethan." Leading the way she waited until the door closed before leveling her best disappointed look at her nephew, "what were you thinking with that stunt in the ring Ethan?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;""The ring?" Taken aback, having fully expected his Aunt to complain about what had just happened it took him a second to remember the exhibition match, "oh that." Smirking Ethan flopped on the couch, rolling the tension out of his shoulders, "I was just messing with Angle, although it did take some convincing to get Spud to play along."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;""It was highly inappropriate Ethan, I don't appreciate you setting up such suggestive situations on my show." Glaring when Ethan only rolled his eyes Dixie held onto her temper, "don't let it happen again."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;"Holding a hand up Ethan made a placating gesture, he really shouldn't be too surprised by his Aunt's response, she'd always had a bit of difficulty moving with the times, "of course Aunt D, it won't happen again."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;""Good and what about what I witnessed in the hallway?" Raising an eyebrow Dixie studied how Ethan's expression slid from amusement to sudden wariness, wanting to stomp her foot in frustration that it appeared Serg had been right. Her nephew really was contemplating starting something with Spud./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;""I was just …" scrambling for an excuse Ethan flushed dully under his Aunt's knowing look. Groaning he swept a hand through his hair, "ok I'll admit my instincts may have gotten a little away from me but Spud, he …" cutting himself off before he ended up confessing exactly how tempting he found Spud to be he shrugged and smiled charmingly up at his fuming Aunt, "Spud is my friend. Would it really be the worst thing in the world if I fed from him?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;"Despite wanting to vehemently disagree with that statement Dixie chose her words carefully, Serg would be quite disappointed in her if she shot down all chances of Ethan forming a vessel bond with Spud. "Of course not darling but I urge you to keep in mind that while Spud might be your friend he is also my Chief of Staff. I need him able to perform his job when needed." /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;""I've been at this a while now Aunt D, I think I can handle not taking too much," scowling at his Aunt's indulgent smile Ethan crossed his arms and resisted the urge to pout. He hated when his Aunt made him feel like an inexperienced kid./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;"span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0;""Of course, darling," smiling innocently Dixie waved the suggestion off, "just something for you to keep in mind." Watching her nephew's irritation dissolve into thoughtfulness she carefully hid her satisfaction at planting a seed of doubt./span/p 


	38. Through the Table

Shaken out of a lovely daydream where the exhibition match with Ethan had continued with no interruptions and in a strangely empty arena Spud cursed his ringing phone. Picking up with a grumble he had to swallow down a reflexive kick of fear at hearing Bully had invaded the office. Neither of the Carters took Bully as a serious threat but he'd seen the madness in the other man's eyes and he wasn't about to put anything past him.

Hastily adjusting his clothing and mustering his patience he walked out, determined to provide damage control. Not that it did much good since Bully ignored him as if he wasn't there and proceeded to invade Dixie's office as if he owned it. Rubbing his temples in an attempt to stave off a headache he decided it would be best to indulge Bully until the oaf grew tired of his game and left. Without a doubt he knew Dixie would only blame him for any negative publicity if he called the cops.

The last straw came when Bully wrangled the entire staff into a meeting, turning the office into a flimsy excuse to drink beer. Teeth clenched against the urge to curse Spud stormed into the conference room and slammed his hands on the table, glaring as his startled co-workers looked up at him guiltily, "that's bloody it, I want you all to get back to work." Crossing his arms he waited impatiently as the staff sheepishly filed past him before turning his attention to Bully's smug smile, wishing not for the first time that Ethan was with him, "it's time for you to leave now Mr. Ray, if you don't I will call the police and have you escorted out on a trespassing charge."

"I'm not leaving until I get what I want," stepping up Bully sneered as he towered over the shorter man, refusing to be impressed when Spud didn't back down. Dressed head to toe in tiger print it was impossible to take him seriously even if he'd wanted to.

"Yes, you are. I've told you repeatedly Mrs. Carter is not in today nor is she expected," throwing his hands up in frustration when Bully cracked open another beer Spud glared. "What else could you possibly want."

"You know I don't understand you Spud," causally leaning against the sturdy conference table Bully tilted his head, looking the other man up and down as Spud slowly flushed. "You're not a bad wrestler, I've seen your work and yet you toady to the Carters. Tell me honestly, you can't actually like working for Dixie."

Pinching the bridge of his nose Spud sighed wearily, head pounding as Bully emptied his beer can and opened another, "this may be hard for you to understand, since loyalty is apparently a difficult subject for you, but I very much enjoy my job. Mrs. Carter and indeed her whole family have been nothing but kind to me." Resolutely he tried not to flush at the memory of how 'kind' Ethan had been last week. They hadn't talked about it, Ethan had been rather subdued after his meeting with Dixie but there was a new awareness between them now that made him strangely nervous.

"Whole family, right," smirking Bully set his beer down and eyed the side table, a truly inspired idea causing his mouth to curl in a sly grin, "well if I can't … speak to Dixie I guess I'll just have to settle for second best." Grabbing Spud before he could so much as step back he hoisted the smaller man over his shoulders, fingers digging in cruelly to prevent any chance of escape. It took little effort to slam Spud through the table and even though he felt a momentary twinge of regret when the other man's head banged viciously off the floor it wasn't enough to stop him from searching through Spud's pockets and stealing his phone, sneering at the other man's pathetic efforts to slap his hands away.

"You may not be the one I want to put through a table the most Spud but you'll do. Plus somehow I have the feeling this might just piss off Ethan and that is a bonus is my books." Leaving Spud's groaning form behind Bully made his escape as several office staff started to poke their heads through the door. Proud of the chaos he'd caused he smirked at hearing one person cry out to call Ethan Carter, almost wishing he could stick around to see to see his reaction.

* * *

Screeching to a stop in front of headquarters Ethan glared the parking attendant who opened his mouth to protest into silence. Taking the steps three at a time he could already hear the murmur of agitated voices, following them his focus arrowed in on Spud's soft accent as he approached the conference room door. The crowd of people easily parted before him and he finally caught sight of his target, Spud was slumped at the table, ice pack pressed against his head and naturally trying to reassure everyone he wasn't in pain. When dazed blue eyes rose to meet his with such clear relief he fought back the need to gather the smaller man into his arms until he'd cleared the room.

"Everyone out," ordering roughly Ethan kept his eyes fixed on Spud as the room quickly emptied, moving to gather the other man into his arms the second the door closed. "Are you okay tiger?" Curling his hand around the back of Spud's neck he let out a breath as the smaller man leaned into his grip with a barely audible whimper that made his other half snarl in rage.

"I'm okay Sir," closing his eyes Spud couldn't stop the low moan of appreciation from escaping as Ethan's fingers massaged his aching muscles. Flushing at Ethan's low chuckle he conversely stepped back despite the desire to press closer, "I should get back to work Sir. I'm sorry Karen called, I told her not to disturb you." His gaze flew up at Ethan's low growl, a ball of heat curling through him at the possessiveness in the fingers wrapping around his arm.

Tugging Spud to his side Ethan fought back the emergence of his fangs, warring with the desire to simply pick the smaller man up and throw him over his shoulder at his ridiculous suggestion of going back to work after being slammed through a table. "You are going home with me Spud, where you're going to rest," he glared until the smaller man's stubborn expression finally eased and he gave in with a huff.

"Alright Sir, but I don't think your Aunt is going to be too pleased," biting his lip Spud was secretly glad Ethan insisted he leave. The longer he was on his feet the more he hurt, a hot stabbing pain that made it a struggle just to remain upright.

"You let me worry about that," smoothing his hand down Spud's back Ethan pushed him gently forward, "I'll explain the situation, she'll understand Bully is the only one at fault here." Securing Spud in the front seat he drove carefully, even going well under the speed limit and avoiding as many bumps as possible by the time they arrived home Spud's face was pale and sweaty. "Come on tiger, let's get you to bed," murmuring softly he eased the smaller man out of the car, hiding his worry when Spud barely muffled a pained whine at the movement he wondered if he should have taken him to the hospital.

Dizzy Spud clutched Ethan's arm, biting his lip against the pain he focused on putting one foot in front of the other until they reached his room. Groaning in quiet protest when Ethan stopped him from collapsing on the bed he blinked up in confusion at the other man.

Smiling faintly despite his worry Ethan brushed his fingers through Spud's hair, "let's get you out of this suit first, hmm." Easing Spud's jacket off he had his bowtie undone before the other man gripped his wrists and stopped him.

"I can do the rest Sir," licking his lips at the way Ethan's eyes dropped to watch Spud had to concentrate to stop his hands from shaking as he unbuttoned his shirt. There was an electric sizzle in the air and he shivered, biting back a groan when Ethan stroked gentle fingers across the exposed bruising along his ribs. "Ethan …"

"I'm going to make Bully pay for hurting you," growling at the breathless note in Spud's voice Ethan's eyes rose from the darkening bruises, wanting nothing more than to drag the smaller man into a kiss and wipe away his pain. Dropping his hand he forced himself to step back, "get some rest tiger, I'll check on you in a few hours." Almost fleeing the room he knew if he didn't feed tonight he wouldn't be able to resist the siren allure of Spud's blood.

Hours later, once the house had settled into silence Ethan paused by Spud's door, hand on the knob he fought with himself before giving in and slipping inside. Creeping closer he stood over Spud, watching him sleep peacefully for several long moments his fingers twitched with the need to smooth back an unruly lock of hair. Closing his eyes he breathed in deeply, that honey sweet scent mixed with the intriguing hint of electricity just before a thunderstorm filled his lungs and he realized what a mistake it was when his fangs descended so rapidly they cut into his lip. It took every ounce of his decades worth of self-control to take a step back … then another until he was out the door. Only breathing again when he had the closed door between them he leaned his head against the cool wood and swore in every language he knew, time to find someone to feed from before he forgot all the reasons he had for staying away from Spud.


	39. Bond at First Bite

Leaving while Spud was sleeping off Bully's attack was difficult and he had to firmly quash the compulsion to check on the smaller man again. Which is why he ended up in a seedy part of town, having no patience for the slow seduction of a one-night stand while Spud was at home injured and how he ended up with a gunshot wound in his abdomen from a thief looking to rob him once he'd led his victim to a deserted alleyway. After subduing and refraining from killing his would-be robber there was just enough time to wipe everyone's memory before the sound of approaching sirens drove him away. Making it to his car, vision wavering in and out it was a minor miracle he managed the drive back home without being pulled over or worse.

Parking haphazardly Ethan staggered towards the house, cursing when he remembered Aunt D and Serg were out attending a high society party. As much as he didn't want to disturb them he was going to have to call and pray they could get back in time. With blood soaking through his shirt and still more seeping out no matter how hard he pressed on the wound there was no doubt he needed help. Lurching towards the privacy of his room he stumbled against one of those stupid ugly floor vases his Aunt loved so much, cursing at the renewed throb of pain and the noise it made as it shattered. The last thing he wanted was to wake the kids, Violet and Toby were way too young to see him in this state.

With his hand on the doorknob to his room Ethan stifled a groan when Spud's door opened and the hall light flicked on. Pulling his jacket shut in a vain attempt to hide the blood he turned a strained smile towards the other man's sleepy murmur of greeting. "Spud, what are you doing up? You should be in bed resting."

Frowning at the odd tone in Ethan's voice Spud shuffled closer, pausing when the other man moved back and stumbled ever so slightly. "I heard a noise," as his eyes finally adjusted to the light he sucked in a breath at how pale Ethan was. "Sir what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I knocked a vase over that's all, must have had too much to drink," steading himself against the wall Ethan tried to laugh off Spud's concern even as his vision wavered. The wooden doorframe splintered under his grip when the smaller man carefully inched closer, the overwhelming scent of Spud's blood threatening to shatter his control and making his voice rough, "go back to sleep, everything is fine."

Usually quick to obey orders but unable to dismiss the feeling something was drastically wrong Spud hesitated long enough to spot the dark red stain on the other man's shirt, "bloody hell Ethan you're bleeding." Voice cracking under a surge of fear he rushed forward and pushed Ethan's jacket aside despite his protests, feeling sick at the sight of how much blood it had been covering.

"I'll be okay. Please just go back to bed," gripping Spud's shoulder tightly Ethan attempted to shove him back towards his room, cursing the smaller man's stubbornness when he held firm.

Pushing aside his panic Spud steadied Ethan when he stumbled, "don't be ridiculous Ethan, you need a Doctor, I'm going to call an ambulance." They were closest to the other man's room so he half dragged Ethan inside and eased him down on the bed, forcibly subduing his reaction to the other man's whimper of pain. "Everything is going to be okay Sir," smoothing a sweaty curl off of Ethan's much too pale face his hand shook as he reached for the bedside phone.

"No!" Groaning Ethan shook off his dizziness, "no ambulances." Grabbing the smaller man's wrist he misjudged his strength, wincing when Spud gasped in pain he didn't dare release his hold. "I mean it, you can't call anyone."

Fruitlessly trying to tug his arm free Spud blinked back the frustrated sting of tears when the other man's grip didn't relent, "are you bloody mental? You're bleeding all over the place. You need a doctor." With his free hand he desperately grasped Ethan's blood-soaked shirt and all but begged, "please let go, I can't just let you die Ethan."

The determined slant to Spud's mouth was all Ethan needed to tell him there was no way the smaller man was going to let this issue go and he was all too aware time was rapidly running out, he needed blood _now_. "I'm not going to die Spud," sighing and giving into what had been inevitable since the moment he'd met Spud he held the other man's fearful gaze with a quiet calmness. "Haven't you ever suspected something was different about me? I know you're a lot more observant than my Aunt gives you credit for."

"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" On the verge of hyperventilating Spud winced when the grip on his arm tightened painfully, all he could see was how pale the other man was, how much blood he'd lost and was still losing. "Please, just let me call a Doctor," even with tears obscuring his vision he could tell Ethan was unmoved by his plea. In desperation he ripped his arm free and dived for the phone, uncaring how his wrist twisted and almost broke. Lifting the receiver he yelped when Ethan yanked it away and with seemingly no effort crushed it to pieces. Stunned his gaze swung to Ethan's face, freezing in alarm he barely dared to breath at the red swirling through the other man's eyes.

Despite the darkness creeping around the edges of his vision Ethan could see Spud's brain finally engage, closing his eyes briefly against the pain of what he was going to have to do, "you've never noticed I'm stronger or faster than I should be at times?" The knowledge he was going to have to wipe Spud's memory after this night hurt worse than the wound burning in his side.

"I … I don't know, maybe," trembling Spud licked his lips, trying to think past the all-encompassing worry for Ethan's life to understand what the other man was telling him. "You, you broke the chains in Willow's shack."

Smiling in pride even as the pain in his gut dulled in a way he knew was a sign he was close to passing out Ethan finally dared to release his hold, "very good, I'd wondered if you'd noticed that." He counted it as a good sign that Spud was listening intently and not freaking out, hoping the next bombshell wouldn't tip the scales, "a Doctor won't be able to help me tiger. What I need is blood."

"Like an IV?" Knowing the question was stupid and he was grasping at straws Spud touched trembling fingers to the skin under the eerily beautiful red shine in Ethan's normally deep brown eyes. When Ethan only raised an eyebrow, his smile twisting into a smirk so the tips of two sharp fangs peeked through his hand dropped away. Sucking in a deep breath and shakily releasing it he straightened his spine and determinedly pushed aside every emotion and every question crowding his mind until a time Ethan didn't look on death's door. "What do you need from me Sir?"

"You always manage to amaze me tiger," voice tight Ethan allowed himself to give into a hot sweep of dizziness, sinking against Spud's steadying frame he rested his head against the smaller man's chest, muscles relaxing as thin fingers wound gently through his hair. The steady thump of Spud's heart was a soothing note to the savage ache of his hunger, surrounded by the smaller man's warm scent he could almost ignore the pain and spreading coldness. Tipping his head back he studied Spud's expression of nervous trepidation, regretting the necessity of putting this burden on him, "I'm sorry, I never wanted to ask this of you, but I need blood and I need it now."

Sucking in a quick breath Spud wondered rather hysterically if he was crazier for believing Ethan was some sort of vampire or for the fact he was going to agree. "Okay … okay," nodding shakily he nonetheless met Ethan's assessing gaze with confidence. "Whatever you need Ethan."

Growling, hunger taking over Ethan yanked Spud onto the bed and rolled on top of him, pinning his slighter form firmly so there would be no chance of him getting hurt during a struggle. Propping most of his weight up on his elbows he tried to smile reassuringly when Spud bravely met his eyes even as the fingers desperately clutching the sides of his shirt gave away his fear, "relax, I promise this won't hurt."

Without giving Spud time to change his mind Ethan nuzzled against his throat, inhaling the scent that had tempted him from the first moment he'd encountered it he took a second to relish the anticipation. Spud's pulse raced frantically under his lips and as carefully and as gently as he knew how he sank his fangs in, groaning in ecstasy as the taste exploded on his tongue. Desperately clutching Spud closer his hunger only ramped up at the breathless whine of encouragement escaping the smaller man. Spud's blood was _exquisite_, like nothing he'd ever tasted and he needed … _wanted_ more, drinking frantically until warm hands slid under his shirt and petted along his skin.

The warm sense of acceptance took the edge off his frenzied feeding, focusing his mind on the need to make sure Spud wasn't hurt. Slowing the frantic rate he was drinking Ethan was able to hear Spud's soft murmurs of reassurance, unable to help but wonder if this man would ever cease to surprise him. Searching through the rumpled bedding he found Spud's free hand and tangled their fingers together, stiffening when a vaguely familiar electric tingle thrummed through his nerves. It took a moment too long to understand what was happening and by the time he recognized the sensation as the start of a bond forming it was already too late … it snapped into place with all the strength of a steel cable, strong and solid it would take an unacceptable amount of force to sever it.

Stunned Ethan pulled away, ignoring the new bond clamouring for attention to study Spud's face for any sign of distress. Unsteadily smoothing back a lock of golden hair when Spud dragged his eyes open and blearily tried to focus he did his best to smile, "it's okay tiger, just relax." Leaning back in he licked across the two small wounds he'd left, a growl escaping when Spud whimpered and arched into him. It took all of his considerable control to fight the instinct to strip the smaller man naked and fuck him until there was no doubt who Spud belonged to.

"Ethan," slurring, too lethargic and dizzy to be even remotely embarrassed by his body's reaction Spud vainly tried to grasp the other man's shirt and pull him back down, "you okay?" It was impossible to hold back a whine when Ethan sat up, a pang of loss struggling to make it through the increasing exhaustion.

Swallowing down the lump in his throat Ethan grasped Spud's hand and kissed his fingers before pulling away, "yes thanks to you I'm just fine." Ignoring the angry pulse at the loss of contact he grimaced at the sight of his blood smearing Spud's t-shirt and skin. "Stay here Spud, and don't move. I'll be back in a minute." Barely waiting for the other man's hum of acknowledgment he hurried to the bathroom, dropping his bloody clothes on the floor he jumped into the shower just long enough to rinse the blood off. Hastily wrapping a towel around his waist he snagged a clean one and rushed back to Spud's side, "come on sit up now, I need to get your shirt off."

Pouting as Ethan relentlessly hauled him into a seated position Spud groggily leaned into the other man, "wanna sleep Sir, please." Blinking his eyes open when Ethan chuckled he abruptly realized the other man was practically naked and without thinking twice he ran his fingers along Ethan's stomach, searching for any hint of a wound. It was only on Ethan's sharp inhale that he flushed dully at his forwardness and pulled back with a mumbled apology.

"Don't worry about it," willing his instant erection away Ethan briskly tugged Spud's shirt off, "I promise you can sleep soon." Concentrating solely on wiping every trace of blood off Spud's pale skin the simple task helped him focus past the new bond tickling the edges of his senses. By the time he was done Spud was already half asleep and he eased him down on the bed with only a token protest at being moved again. Pulling on a pair of jogging pants and dropping the bloody towels in the bathroom he flicked the light off and plunged the room into darkness before gratefully sliding back into bed. Exhausted and in the process of healing he closed his eyes, listening to the slow but steady beat of Spud's heart he marveled at the quiet strength of their bond.

"Should I leave?" Barely awake Spud wasn't quite sure what prompted him to make the offer when he didn't think he could stand let alone walk to his room right now. There was a slight niggle of awareness at the back of his mind that told him something was different.

Startled out of light doze by the question and the plaintive note in Spud's voice it took Ethan a moment to respond, "absolutely not, I want you here where I can keep an eye on you." Snagging the other man's wrist he pulled until Spud was tucked securely into the curve of his body, resolutely pushing aside the renewed flare of arousal when the smaller man burrowed into him with a pleased hum.

"So I don't run off and tell someone?" Losing his battle to keep his eyes open Spud relaxed at Ethan's amused huff, the last of his tension easing from his muscles.

It was obvious the moment Spud lost his struggle to stay awake and it saved Ethan from making a snide remark in defense. Curling his arm around Spud's waist his hand settled possessively across the smaller man's back, knowing in that instance he was lost. There would be no breaking the bond, not without hurting Spud and worse, despite his decades long commitment to never creating another Vessel Bond he didn't want to sever it. "Always the exception tiger," rumbling tiredly he closed his eyes and simply let himself enjoy this moment. Time enough in the morning to deal with the consequences.


	40. Morning Conversations

The brisk knock on the door barely caused the two figures on the bed to stir, "Ethan darling have you seen Spud? He's not in his room and I need him to run an errand for me." Disregarding how much her nephew hated when she barged into his room Dixie opened the door and walked in, freezing at the heavy smell of stale blood in the room she was calling out to her husband before even noticing her nephew was tangled in bed with another man. Mouth thinning she easily recognized the second figure, there was no hiding that bright gleam of blond hair even in the room's dim light. It was only the unpleasant smell of old blood that prevented her from leaping to several horrifying assumptions.

"What is it honey?" Barging into his nephew's room Serg hurried to his wife's side, following her disgruntled gaze to the sight of Ethan and Spud curled together in bed. Raising an eyebrow he tried to stifle his grin, he'd been hoping those two would get together. What he couldn't understand is why his wife was just staring at them. Gripping her elbow he tried to ease her from the room, "perhaps we should give them privacy darling."

Shaking Serg's hand off Dixie turned a glare on her husband, irritated even further by the slight smile on his face. "I can smell blood on the air Serg. A lot of blood."

Groaning Ethan threw a pillow in the direction of the intruding couple, uncaring of which one he hit. His head was still pounding from the blood loss and the strain of establishing a new bond and all he wanted to do was bury his head under the blankets and hold onto Spud for just a little while longer. "Can we talk about this later," keeping his voice pitched low he rubbed lazy circles on Spud's back as the smaller man stirred.

"No, we cannot talk about this later," pulling away from Serg's hold Dixie crossed her arms and glared at her nephew. "Why is stale blood all I can smell in here? What happened?"

Irritated by his Aunt's demanding tone Ethan remained stubbornly silent, the stalemate only broken by Spud's sleepy voice. "Ethan? Is something wrong?" Yawning Spud blearily tried to focus on the other man's face, not quite sure what had woken him but with Ethan's hand warm and heavy on his back he was on the verge of falling back to sleep.

"That's what I'd like to know and I'd also like to know why my Chief of Staff is sleeping with my nephew," yelping at the sound of his boss's voice Spud untangled himself from Ethan, sitting up and staring in horror at Dixie's angry expression he only half heard Ethan's grumbles behind him.

"Mrs. Carter, I'm so sorry, I … I," scrambling out of bed Spud swayed as last night's blood loss made itself known in a wave of hot dizziness, it was only Ethan's strong grip on his arm that kept him on his feet. Thankfully it didn't appear he had enough blood available to blush at being found half naked in bed with his equally half naked best friend by his rather conservative boss.

"I was shot last night," interrupting bluntly Ethan brushed over the spot where the bullet had entered, keeping a steadying hand on Spud even as his Aunt gasped in horror.

"Why didn't you call us? Are you okay now?" It was only Serg's calming questions and tight grip that kept Dixie from rushing forward.

Giving the other man an appreciative nod Ethan held up a pacifying hand, trying his best to ally his Aunt's worry, "I took care of the situation, none of the witnesses will remember a thing. And thanks to Spud I'm fine, he found me and gave me what I needed."

"I see," frowning Dixie's gaze zeroed in on the slight evidence of a bite on Spud's neck, "well thank you Spud for helping my nephew." Turning back to Ethan although a little taken aback at the almost aggressively protective way he was hovering she was careful to keep her voice firm. "You'll wipe his memory of all this of course Ethan and I'd appreciate from now on if you would try not to sleep with my employees."

Spud's shocked gasp was lost in Ethan's immediate growl of protest, "I can't do that Aunt D," holding firmly onto his temper as the bond flared in protective fury he reminded himself his Aunt wasn't trying to be unkind, after all he couldn't deny drinking from Spud and then bedding him certainly fit his usual M.O. "A Vessel Bond formed between us last night."

"Alright just hang on one bloody minute," interjecting into the sudden silence Spud forged on despite the pinch of dread at the guilty glance Ethan shot him and the gobsmacked look on Dixie's face. "What bond? And you can wipe memories?" Valiantly he tried to keep any sign of hurt out of his voice that Dixie would order something like that done to him.

Stepping forward and catching Spud's attention before his red-faced nephew could answer Serg smiled supportively, "I think this conversation should be held between just the two of you." Pulling his still shocked wife along with him he carefully kept his satisfaction under control, it was about damn time Ethan took the risk of forming another bond. And despite what his wife would say he knew Ethan couldn't have chosen better.

As soon as they were alone Spud whirled around and poked Ethan in the chest, glaring up in his once again brown eyes, "okay Ethan, I think I've been pretty understanding so far. I didn't flee when you told me you drink blood and can heal from a gunshot wound. I … I let you just," gesturing to his neck his voice got increasingly high and wild until Ethan let out a soft murmur of comfort and pulled him into a rough hug. Sagging as a warm hand skimmed down his back he closed his eyes and just breathed in the warm scent of Ethan's skin, almost relieved at the distracting burn of arousal he felt like laughing and crying at the same time.

"It's okay tiger, I know it's a lot to take in," nuzzling Spud's temple Ethan waited for his breathing to calm before reluctantly pulling away to meet bright gleam of utter confusion in the other man's eyes. "Why don't you go get showered and dressed. We'll go out for lunch and I'll explain everything." It took everything he had not to give into the bonds clamouring to drag Spud back to bed but he had the sinking feeling he would lose something precious if he didn't allow him some space to adjust to the changes.

Searching Ethan's face intently Spud nodded reluctantly, as much as he wanted to demand answers he wasn't sure if he was ready, "okay Sir." Stepping back his eyes widened at the strange surge of uneasiness, almost pain swept over him the second he was no longer touching Ethan. Swallowing he moved back another step, somehow not surprised to find Ethan watching him with a sympathetic look on his face it took everything in him to keep moving. Whatever was going on he instinctively knew it had something to do with the mysterious bond Ethan had mentioned.

* * *

The morning sun was warm on his skin and the aroma of fresh cut grass provided a fragrant note of normalcy to what he was sure was going to be a difficult conversation. Looking up as Ethan dropped a warm donut in his lap and settled besides him on the secluded bench Spud smiled a little uncertainly, "this doesn't seem like your usual choice for breakfast Sir."

Gesturing to the wide-open spaces around them, the only people in sight engrossed in their own activities Ethan took a bite of his own donut, "plenty of privacy, something I think would be in short supply at a nice restaurant. Now …" turning so he could keep the other man's face in view it made the bond ache to see those blue eyes look at him in wariness, "what do you want to know first?"

Biting his lip Spud nervously picked at his donut, dropping his eyes from Ethan's steady gaze, there were so many questions he wanted answers to it was hard to know where to start. "What are you?" Blurting out his first question he winced at how rude it had come out.

"Immortal, undead, vampire," shrugging Ethan slouched wearily, nudging his knee against Spud's. "I've heard it all and I can't say I like any of them. The facts are I need to drink blood to live, I can heal from almost anything, I'm stronger and faster than normal humans. It's not yet known how long we live but after a certain point we don't age anymore." Holding his hand up he smirked at the storm of questions he could see waiting to burst out of Spud, "we as in most of my family, Aunt D and her children, my dad, grandmother, various cousins. There are other clans out there of course, not related to the Carters."

Struggling to grasp the concept his best friend was some kind of mythical creature Spud glanced unconsciously up at the sun, flushing when Ethan caught the look and teasingly flicked a balled up napkin at him. Flipping the other man the bird he tossed his mangled donut in the garbage, knowing in that moment of teasing that somehow everything would be okay between them.

"Almost all the myths you can think of are untrue. The sun won't burn me to a crisp, I love garlic and most importantly …" voice darkening Ethan let his mind flick back to the conversation he should have had with his first bonded, "… there is no way I can make you what I am."

Breath catching at the flash of red swirling in Ethan's brown eyes Spud swallowed his fear and reached out to squeeze the bigger man's arm reassuringly, the uneasiness he'd been fighting for the last few hours evaporating the second they were touching, "all I want to be is your friend Ethan." The sweet smile he got in return was a powerful reminder of why he'd fallen in love with Ethan Carter.

"Best friend," correcting easily Ethan shook off the painful memory, pleasure curling through his veins at the at way Spud was looking at him as if he was the most important person in the world. At least this time he felt safe in the knowledge Spud would never betray him, reassuring him that letting the bond stand had been the right decision.

Ducking his head Spud hid his delight at the clear affection in Ethan's voice, "I think I always knew there was something different about you, it's what first drew me to you."

"Not my devastating good looks," winking Ethan smirked and bumped Spud's shoulder when the smaller man huffed, flushing a rather fetching shade of red.

"You're such a wanker," relaxing at the familiar teasing Spud felt the tightly wound ball of tension in his gut fully ease. Smiling as the warm breeze tugged several of Ethan's dark curls lose he felt comfortable enough to change the subject back to the mornings events, "so tell me then _Mr. Carter_ what did you mean when you said a bond formed between us and why was your Aunt upset by it? Oh and," the teasing lilt in his voice dropped, "would you really have wiped my memory? Can you even wipe memories?"

Breath catching at the expected question and yet still unsure of what to say Ethan stood abruptly, catching Spud by the arm he dragged him off the bench, for once not hiding his strength, "let's take a walk." Shoving his hands in his pockets he slowed his steps after a few minutes when it was clear Spud was having trouble keeping up with him, glancing down briefly at the other man's patient expression. "There are two kinds of bonds we experience in our lifetimes, the first is a Vessel Bond and the second is the Mating Bond. The second is rare and very much sought after, some wait centuries to find their mate, the one person in the world that is their perfect match," he forced his voice low and matter of fact to prevent the desire to find his own mate from leaking into his tone, "once you're lucky enough to find your mate the bond grants several benefits to the human half, including 'immortality'."

After a moment's pause where he was forced to battle a sudden storm of jealously at the idea of Ethan finding a mate Spud turned his attention to the first part of the explanation, "and the first bond?" He briefly wondered if based on Mrs. Carter's reaction he even wanted to know.

"It's less permanent, I can break it if you want," pausing by a small nook overlooking the lake Ethan leaned against the wooden railing and watched Spud's body language carefully, "it would however hurt you, it's surprisingly strong for only being established last night." Distracted for a moment by the way the sun caught in Spud's hair, highlighting every ridiculously lovely shade he cleared his throat, making sure there was no way his next words could be misinterpreted. "It absolutely will not stop you from aging or grant you any sort of immortality."

"Do you want to break it?" The bitter pain in Ethan's voice made him positive there was a story behind the warning and equally sure now was not the time to ask about it. Hopping up on the railing Spud smiled indulgently as Ethan's hand flashed out and gripped his knee, "I won't fall Sir."

"I'm pretty sure that's what everyone says right before they fall and break their neck," disregarding Spud's amused huff Ethan kept one hand firmly on his knee and the other on the railing. Crowding into the smaller man's personal space he grinned as his heartbeat increased sharply, choosing to answer Spud's question honestly, "I want to keep the bond tiger but I know a lot more about this than you do. There is a book written on the subject I want you to read before you make up your mind." Allowing a flash of red to show when Spud would have protested he forced himself to add a warning, "you should know no matter what you decide you won't be allowed to tell anyone about us. No one who puts the family at risk survives for very long." He was perversely proud when Spud didn't flinch at the threat.

"I promise to never breathe a word of anything I learn," swearing solemnly Spud met Ethan's intimidating gaze with complete assurance, nothing in the world could ever make him turn against Ethan and he let it show. Smiling slightly at Ethan's low rumble of approval he tucked the issue of their bond to the back of his mind until after he read the book and readjusted his position the railing, wincing as his wrist twinged in pain. Opening his mouth to ask another question he was caught off guard when Ethan grabbed his arm, a disconcerted expression pulling his mouth into a frown.

"You're hurt," for the first time remembering how harshly he'd grabbed Spud's arm last night Ethan didn't need the guilty way the smaller man's gaze dropped to know he was right. Holding on firmly when Spud tried to pull away he carefully rolled up his sleeve, biting back a curse at the mottled black bruising in the disturbing pattern of his fingers. "Oh Spud," remorsefully raising the injured wrist he delicately brushed his lips over worse of the bruising, repeating the action at Spud's shaky inhale. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay Sir," heat gathered and rapidly spread through his veins when Ethan's mouth lingered on his skin. The slight scrap of fangs surprised a whimper out of him and Spud flushed dully under the bigger man's self-satisfied smile.

A heavyset man, talking obnoxiously on his cellphone passed by their nook and with one glare shattered the electric moment with a loudly muttered 'fags'. Tightly curling his fingers into Ethan's shirt it was all Spud could do to hang on when the other man's eyes flashed red with rage and he tried to go after the offending asshole. "He's not worth it Sir," Ethan growled but relented, the red slowly fading from his eyes. Loosening his grip he smoothed out the wrinkles he'd created, gently petting the firm muscles under the soft fabric.

"He deserves to get his ass kicked," blowing out a deep breath Ethan let the other man's touch sooth his temper, this wasn't the first and he doubted it would be the last time he'd encountered such narrow-minded opinions. Fixing his attention back on what was important his mouth quirked in a lopsided smile, "well before we were so rudely interrupted did you have any more questions for me?" Tucking a wayward strand of blond hair behind Spud's ear it made the bond sing at how easily the smaller man leaned into his touch.

"Can you really erase memories?" As something inside him relaxed and soaked up every little extra touch Ethan offered, Spud found the courage to go back to a subject that had bothered him since Dixie had first mentioned it.

"Yes I can, it's how I keep the secret of what I am. Once I pick someone to feed from I wipe their memory of the entire thing." Ignoring the squirm of guilt at how if not for the bond he already would have wiped Spud's memory of last night he tugged the smaller man off of the railing and tucked him close. "So yes," he met Spud's eyes unflinchingly, answering the unvoiced question, "if I had to I would have wiped your memory as well, no matter how much it pained me." Cherishing the way even though Spud had tensed he hadn't tried to pull away in the slightest he led the way up the hill towards a small café on the edge of the park, it hadn't escaped his notice how the other man hadn't eaten his breakfast.

Dropping his gaze from Ethan's regretful expression Spud tried to work out how he felt about the other man's ability to wipe memories. On one hand he understood the need, it would probably be impossible to keep such a secret without some kind of ability to make people forget but he also couldn't quite shake his dismay at the thought Ethan would be capable of doing that to him. If there was one thing in this new reality where his best friend was a vampire that he was sure of was he'd never willingly betray Ethan Carter for any reason.


	41. Pushback

The rest of the day passed in a haze of minor tasks Mrs. Carter absolutely needed him to accomplish, so many it started to feel like punishment instead of his job. Still by now he was well able to recognize when it was wisest to simply keep his head down and his mouth shut.

Taking a brief moment in between errands to sit down and rest Spud yelped when a hand fell heavily on his shoulder. Jumping up from the couch and spinning around he sagged in relief at the sight of Ethan, feeling a fraction of his weariness disappear in the bigger man's presence, "sorry Sir, I thought you were your Aunt with another errand for me to run."

"Yeah, I've noticed she's got you on a short leash today," grinning at the unimpressed glare Spud shot him Ethan felt a flicker of anger at the air of exhaustion hanging off his bonded. It was only last night he'd taken a great deal of the smaller man's blood and even with the bond busy replacing it Spud should have been resting. "I left the book in your room tiger, you can read it if you ever get a moment free."

"Of course Sir," groaning as his pocket buzzed Spud wearily pulled out his phone to look at his latest text. "It'll have to be later unfortunately, I'm off again on another errand." Waving absently he hurried away before Ethan could persuade him to ignore the order and go rest.

Quickly deciding Spud would not appreciate it if he stopped him and forced him to go to bed Ethan reluctantly let the other man go, choosing instead to turn his attention to the root of the problem. Locating his Aunt wasn't difficult, she and Serg were enjoying coffee with the last of the day's dying warmth out on the verandah. Taking a seat he nodded his thanks as the older man poured him a cup from the steaming pot on the table, sipping slowly he let their idle chatter wash over him before cutting straight to the heart of the matter. "You're angry at Spud," his gaze narrowed as his Aunt immediately flushed and looked away, bewildered by her reaction his ire started to rise, "he saved my life Aunt D."

"I know that Ethan," setting her cup down Dixie leaned forward, forcing a smile she caught and held her nephew's hand, squeezing firmly. "Believe me I'm grateful Spud was there when you needed him darling, I don't even want to think what would have happened if he hadn't been."

Brows drawing together in a frown Ethan looked over at Serg who only shrugged, "why are you angry then? And don't tell me you aren't Aunt D." He pulled his hand free when she would have protested, "I've never seen you deliberately send Spud on so many pointless tasks before. Especially considering his body is still dealing with the effects of blood loss and forming a bond." The flash of guilt that appeared in his Aunts eyes was enough to let him know he'd been right.

"I'm sorry darling, I don't mean to make things difficult for you," patting Ethan's tense knee Dixie sighed and pushed a sweaty strand of hair out of her face, even with the sun kissing the horizon the air was still sticky and uncomfortable. "I just can't help but remember how that woman took advantage of you in order to trick you into a bond." Biting her lip at Ethan's deepening scowl she continued as matter-of-factly as she could, "you were shot and injured last night darling, what if Spud took advantage of the situation."

"I think you're underestimating Spud honey," Serg hastened to interject, by the vein throbbing on Ethan's temple he knew his nephew was set to explode. Newly formed bonds always made emotions run a little hotter in the first few weeks, his wife really should have known better than to bring this up now. "I firmly believe Spud would sooner harm himself before harming Ethan."

"Thank you Serg," taking a gulp of his coffee to buy an extra few seconds to cool down Ethan pretended at a calm he didn't feel. "I appreciate your concern Aunt D but this bond with Spud is different. For one he had no idea what I was so if anything I took advantage of him and secondly our bond was stronger after only a few minutes than my first was after six months." Sinking back in his seat he ran his finger idly over the rim of his cup, anger dissipating just a bit at the look of resignation on his Aunt's face he threw her a bone, "not to mention I'm not sleeping with Spud."

Rolling her eyes Dixie smacked her husband on the arm when he smirked, she didn't need his help to pick out Ethan's silent 'yet'. "I'm glad to hear that Ethan and I'm sorry if I've made things more difficult for you. I promise not to ask Spud to do anything else for the rest of the weekend." Pausing she delicately dabbed her mouth with a napkin, "and speaking of difficult have you let your parents know yet?"

Wincing at the reminder Ethan shook his head, "they're coming home next week, I thought it would be best to let them know in person, maybe even introduce Spud. Mom will want to meet him." He was fairly sure both his parents would like Spud, and be relieved he'd finally formed a bond with someone. They hadn't said as much to him but he knew they worried, someone his age would typically have had several Vessel Bonds by now. It was a popular belief they might exist to help prepare for the more serious and permanent Mating Bond.

"Yes, and if I know my brother he'll want to … have a word with Spud. After all," holding back her own grimace Dixie sought comfort in her husband's encouraging nod, "due to the bond Spud is family now."

By the time Spud parked his car in the driveway for hopefully the last time he was exhausted, every muscle in his body felt like it had gone through five tables courtesy of Bully Ray. The house was quiet and rather than heading to the kitchen to scrounge something to eat he silently made his way to his room, collapsing on his comfortable bed too tired to even remove his shoes.

Almost asleep he was dimly aware of his door opening, a part of him knew without looking who it was. "Long day tiger," opening his eyes a crack Spud peered up at Ethan's shadowed face, having only enough energy to murmur something vague in response. The other man's warm laughter only served to relax him further and he put up no resistance when Ethan tugged his shoes off.

Dropping the shoes Ethan pulled Spud into something resembling a sitting position, having to prop him against his shoulder in order to pull off his jacket. Carefully sliding Spud's bowtie off he awkwardly stripped off his shirt, humming softy at the other man's whined protests at being jostled. Easing Spud back down he lightly skimmed his fingers along the newly bared skin, eyes bleeding red at Spud's sleepy hum. Pulling the blankets aside and nudging him under he smiled at the low grumble of discontentment at being moved yet again, "sweet dreams tiger." It was a struggle but he left before he gave into the desire to join Spud in bed, with the bond so new he wasn't certain he could restrain himself to just sleeping.

Not bothering to hit the lights Ethan stripped off his suddenly constricting clothing, leaving a trail to the bathroom he turned on his shower and stepped under the forceful spray. Tilting his face up he didn't even fight the urge to touch himself, hand gliding down his chest and stomach to grasp his erection, imagining it was Spud touching him he groaned and leaned his forehead against the cool tiles. Heat flushing through his body he was already so close to the edge his legs shook, hand tightening all it took was picturing Spud on his knees in front of him, blue eyes looking up at him with hunger before he was coming all over the wall.

Swearing he shuddered under the sheer force of his orgasm, hitting the taps to turn the water off he stumbled out of the shower and sucked in a deep breath of cooler air. Grabbing a towel he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror, eyes blood red and fangs fully extended the humour of the situation hit him. All it had taken was simply touching himself and thinking about Spud to have one of the best orgasms of his life. Drying off quickly he flopped on his bed and laughed quietly, "always the exception tiger." Closing his eyes and enjoying the cool air on his over-heated skin he let his mind drift to the shining warmth of their bond, no matter how much he wanted Spud he knew with absolute certainly he would wait as long as the other man needed.


	42. Breakfast in Bed

Tray carefully balanced Ethan pushed the door to Spud's room open, unsurprised to find his bonded still sleeping. Slipping inside he set the tray on the bedside table and perched on the edge of the bed, smoothing his fingers through a wild tangle of blond hair he sent a gentle nudge through their bond, just enough to make Spud shift and arch into his hand. "Morning tiger," smiling as Spud hummed and finally opened his eyes it took a tremendous effort of will not to strip away the blanket and kiss every inch of sleep warmed skin.

"Hmm, good morning Sir," stifling a yawn Spud hauled himself upright, flushing as Ethan's eyes dropped to his bare chest he resisted the urge to cross his arms, glancing over at the clock. "Isn't it rather early for you to be up?"

"I figured you needed a good meal after yesterday," snagging a plate laden with buttery toast and fluffy scrambled eggs Ethan grinned as Spud's eyes widened in pleased surprise, a warm glow spreading at taking care of his bonded. "Everything a growing boy needs," teasing he laughed when Spud rolled his eyes, pouring a cup of tea he offered it as gesture of peace.

"Thank you Ethan, you didn't have to do this," stomach rumbling in hunger Spud moved over to give Ethan more room on the bed, hoping the smile on his face wasn't as sappy as he feared. Ducking his head he concentrated on eating, content to soak up the other man's warmth all the aches and pains he hadn't been aware of feeling until now disappeared.

Bumping the smaller man's shoulder Ethan smiled, "I wanted to, you did have a very stressful day yesterday after all." Leaning against the headboard he stretched out his legs, catching Spud's yawn he steadied the cup of tea as it started to tip, "hmm, perhaps I did wake you up too early." Tugging the cup out of the other man's hand despite his bonded's half-hearted protests he set everything on the floor, "time for a nap I think."

"But I just woke up," putting up a token resistance Spud allowed Ethan to nudge him into laying down, blinking in sleepy surprise when the other man slid in beside him.

"You don't mind if I join you, do you?" Struggling to keep his hands to himself Ethan felt his fangs drop at the flaring warmth from the bond, grateful that last night's … indulgence had improved his control. Contenting himself with simply wrapping his hand around Spud's wrist he enjoyed the thrum of his pulse.

"No," stopping at the high-pitched note in his voice Spud cleared his throat and tried again, "no Sir, of course not." Shivering as Ethan's thumb slowly stroked across his wrist he closed his eyes and rolled closer, soaking up the comfort offered by the other man's mere presence he gave into the exhaustion still running through him.

Breathing in Spud's delicious scent Ethan ignored the flash of hunger, now wasn't the time to indulge, not with his bonded sleeping so trustingly next to him. Their bond was warm and relaxed and for the first time he truly appreciated how weak his bond with Sophia had been to have never experienced such a simple joy with her.

Hours passed as he half-dozed next to his bonded, waking fully when Spud shifted and rolled closer he had to bite back a moan when a hand landed high on his thigh, the innocent touch had him hardening so quickly he had to pull away. The abrupt movement woke Spud and he used the distraction to roll out of bed, meeting the other man's sleepy smile with one of his own and hoping he couldn't spot the strain in his expression.

"Afternoon sleepy head," gathering up the dirty dishes Ethan tried not to watch Spud stretch, the flex of muscles making his mouth dry.

Glancing at the clock, stunned to find it well past 3:00 Spud scrambled to untangle himself from the blankets, flushing under Ethan's faintly amused smile, "sorry Sir, I didn't mean to sleep so long."

"Don't worry about it tiger, you needed the rest. Besides you still have plenty of time to get ready," balancing the tray Ethan opened the door, looking back at Spud's frown of confusion he grinned. "I'm taking you out to supper tonight so dress nice."

"Yes, Sir," excitement leaping through him at Ethan's sweet smile Spud hurried to the shower the instant he was alone, rushing through his usual routine he searched his closet for the perfect outfit, finally settling on a newer dark green suit bought solely because it was Ethan's favourite colour. Not that he'd ever tell Ethan that of course, the man's ego was already big enough as it was.

Ready with time to spare he picked up the book Ethan had given him, tracing his fingers over the unmarked cover he hesitated for only a second, pushing back the flare of uncertainty on if he really wanted to know more. Finding the chapter on Vessel bonds he skimmed quickly, reading past the details Ethan had already shared he paused on the entry advising the need to feed at least once a week if not more. Licking his lips he couldn't deny the surge of excitement, despite his initial fear when Ethan had bit him it had felt ... amazing and he _wanted_ to experience it again. Remembering the pleasure he almost missed the next passage, re-reading once, than twice he jumped at the knock on his door, pushing the book under his pillow he nervously smoothed out his jacket and stood up.

"Ready to go?" Leaning against the door Ethan shoved his hands in his pockets, eying Spud up and down he whistled lowly, grinning lazily as the other man's heart rate jumped. "You look good, I like that colour on you."

"Thank you, Sir," willing his pulse to slow Spud grabbed his wallet and firmly pushed the knowledge Ethan might be able to influence his actions to the back of his mind. Now was not the time to decide how he felt about that, now was the time to enjoy spending time with the man he was in love with. "Where are we going anyway?"

"I thought we might try out that new steakhouse that opened a few weeks ago," ushering Spud to his favourite car Ethan settled behind the wheel and peeled out of the garage, smirking at the other man's low hiss of disapproval.

Teeth clenching on the urge to complain about Ethan's excessive speeding Spud concentrated instead on watching the ease with which those big hands handled the wheel, a low burn of arousal distracting him from his worry. "I heard it was all but impossible to get reservations, the chef is supposed to be world class."

"Impossible if your last name isn't Carter maybe," laughing at Spud's annoyed huff Ethan flashed him a quick grin, turning his eyes back on the room at his instant scowl.

"Git," unable to keep his amusement out of his voice Spud breathed a sigh a relief as they pulled up in front of the restaurant, unable to help but wonder if Ethan had used a little bit of mind control on seeing how busy it was.

Tossing his keys to the valet Ethan draped his arm over Spud's shoulders, steering him through the wide double doors he lowered his voice as the maître-d smiled at them, "just for that you can treat me to supper." Laughing at the elbow to his side he let his bonded go and greeted the lovely woman now staring at them, a distant part of his mind absently noting she was exactly the type he usually went for, "hi, reservation for Carter please."

The maître-d's gaze flicked over to Spud, her welcoming smile faltering briefly before she turned her attention back on him, "of course Mr. Carter, the chef ordered a table specially set aside for you." Feeling Spud tense ever so slightly and wishing the smaller man was less perceptive Ethan pressed a hand to his lower back, flooding the bond with assurance he ignored the frozen expression on the young women's face. Following her to a cozily intimate corner table he nodded as politely as possible, dismissing her completely as they sat, Spud flushing as she flounced off.

"What a bloody bint," picking up the menu Spud slouched in his seat, peering around to see if anyone else was staring at them he did his best to ignore the low simmer of embarrassment.

Smothering a laugh Ethan leaned back in his chair, "couldn't have said it better myself." Turning his attention to the approaching waiter he ordered a bottle of champagne, sensing Spud's pleased surprise through the bond. It really was impressive how much he could pick up from it already.

"Are we celebrating?" Accepting a glass from the returning waiter Spud raised his eyes to Ethan's face, heart turning over at the fond smile directed his way.

Lifting his glass Ethan smiled, "yes, to you, my best friend and the man who saved my life." Clinking glasses he enjoyed Spud's flush, sitting back to admire the gleam of candlelight on his bonded's hair he silently renewed his vow to not to move too quickly in pushing for more than just being 'friends'.

Draining half his glass in one go Spud fiddled with straightening his silverware, darting a quick glance up at Ethan he took a stab at humour to diffuse his embarrassment, "you're welcome Sir, although you did give me a heart attack at the time."

"Sorry for that tiger," unable to resist Ethan reached out laid his hand over Spud's, squeezing lightly he only withdrew when the waiter came back. Steering the conversation to less serious topics he settled in to simply enjoy Spud's company, with the bond purring in the background it almost felt like he was getting the chance to get to know the other man all over again.

Twirling pasta around his fork Spud couldn't help but stare a little as Ethan dug into his steak, he'd seen the other man eat dozens of times and yet now he couldn't help but wonder if he actually needed to or if it was all an act.

"Just ask Spud," amused when Spud jumped and dropped his fork Ethan did his best not to laugh.

"Do you actually need to eat?" The question burst out and he immediately shoved a forkful of pasta in his mouth, relieved when Ethan's only reaction was one of relaxed amusement.

Taking a moment to formulate an answer Ethan looked down at his plate, poking at the reminder of his steak, "not in the way you do. I won't starve if I don't eat for instant, however it is something I take great pleasure in."

"Of course Sir, I'd hate to go through life with the joy of chocolate cake myself," congratulating himself on Ethan's laugh Spud resolved not to ask any more questions until he'd finished reading the book.

It was late when they left the restaurant, the house dark and quiet Spud hesitated outside his door, he wanted to ask if Ethan would stay with him, maybe ask if he needed to feed but he lost his courage at the last moment. Muttering a quick goodnight he almost fled from the temptation Ethan presented. Getting ready for bed he settled under the cold, empty sheets and dove back into the book, reading until his eyes drooped and he fell asleep in the middle of a fascinating chapter on healing.


	43. Invasion

After a glorious weekend spent growing even closer to Ethan the bond had relaxed to the point it didn't so much as twinge when he had to leave for the office on Monday. He had Serg to thank for the fact he could feel the bond at all, the older man had pulled him aside and explained how to go about finding the link in his own mind. It was only after the second day, half falling asleep against Ethan's shoulder watching one of the dreadful American football games the other man liked so much he was able to drift deep enough to find the source of their bond. Imagining it as a calm, deep river linking him irrevocably with Ethan he already knew he'd do whatever it took to protect it.

Still Ethan had insisted he finish the book before he'd accept a decision, so he stole every free moment he could to skim through. It turned out the bond had several benefits for him, granting a boost to his immune system that should speed up the healing process. Of course there was also an rather obscure passage that made it seem like Ethan would have some sort of control over him, a control it stopped short of actually describing but one he guessed was meant to be a stopgap against the possibility of betrayal. Still nothing he read changed his mind about keeping the bond, having this connection to Ethan was the best thing to ever happen to him.

Making a cup of tea he had just set aside his jealousy enough to read the section about the second bond when Mrs. Carter burst into his office in an absolute tizzy and demanded he drive her home. Apparently, Bully was sending texts threatening to break into the family home and start destroying things, although he found it hard to believe even Bully would be so reckless. After all a penchant for putting people through tables was quite different from a deliberate criminal act. Driving as quickly as he dared in the busy mid-day traffic he abruptly recalled Ethan mentioning that he might stay home today to catch up on some sleep. Even knowing with absolute certainty Ethan could take care of himself if Bully did break in it did little to stop the sharp surge of worry.

Upon reaching the Carter's home it quickly became evident the front door had been jimmied open. Pausing for only the barest moment to consider his options he ordered Dixie to stay outside and call the police while he headed inside to check it out. No matter that logic told him Ethan wasn't at risk he simply couldn't let Bully roam around the house with his best friend asleep and unaware of the potential danger.

Slinking through the empty halls Spud forced his hands to remain steady, the anxiety of knowing Bully could be around any corner made his heart race uncomfortably fast. Biting his lip to prevent a curse from escaping he pulled back just in time to avoid being spotted, holding his breath as Bully came from the direction of the kitchen and sauntered into the main family room as if he owned the place. Peeping around the corner he gathered his courage and took the chance when Bully's back was turned to examine some family photos to dart inside and slide behind one of the couches.

Breathing shallowly cold sweat broke out across his back while he waited to see if he'd been spotted, when the sound of Bully's muttered commentary on the décor continued uninterrupted he ever so carefully slipped his phone out of his pocket and held it out just enough to record Bully in the act of knocking over an expensive vase and stomping it to pieces. Hopefully the footage would aid the police in charging Bully when they showed up. Some small sound or movement must have given him away as Bully abruptly spun towards the couch he was hiding behind, grabbing a hold of his ankle even as he scrambled to move away.

"Well, well, what do we have here," Spud couldn't stop the grunt of pain from escaping when Bully dragged him upright by his bruised wrist and snatched his phone out of his hand. The derisive sneer the other man shot him when saw the recording had him clenching his teeth in anger and stifling the urge to punch Bully in the face. "You really are a loyal little solider aren't you Spud, completely under the Carter's control … or maybe," Bully's sneer turned mocking, "maybe it's just Ethan Carter you're under."

The innuendo wasn't lost on him and Spud raised his chin defiantly, glaring as Bully deleted the video and then stomped on his cellphone, "you do know breaking and entering is illegal don't you Bully? You can't think Madame Carter or Ethan will let you get away with this." There was such an ugly look in Bully's eyes that it sent a renewed surge of fear pumping through his veins. Not giving himself the chance to second guess he lashed out kicking Bully in the knee, forcing him to let go with a grunt of pain. Backing away he barely got three steps in before the bigger man was on him again, tackling him against the stupid ottoman he always banged his knee on and shoving him to the ground. Cursing he fought desperately to get free, using every dirty trick he knew even as Bully wrapped his hands around his throat and started to squeeze.

"You are brave for a little guy, I'll give you that," darkness was encroaching on his vision when Bully bent closer, a sickly satisfied look on his face. "I could almost admire that if it wasn't aimed at the Carters." Struggling frantically to breath Spud used the last of his strength to claw at Bully's face, gratefully sucking air into his lungs when the chocking grip on his throat was released, grimly pleased at the other man's hiss of pain even as his hold on consciousness faded away.


	44. Protected

Awareness trickled back in a series of snapshots. An uncomfortable pressure on his chest. Dixie's worried voice. A man's threatening rumble that had him instinctively whimpering in response. Then finally a dim sense of relief as Ethan's voice overlapped the other mans. Fighting to open his eyes as the weight on his chest disappeared Spud flinched when something touched his face.

"Easy tiger it's just me," cupping Spud's face gently Ethan bitterly regretted only tossing Bully out of the house and not breaking his neck at the glazed look in those blue eyes. When the sound of an argument had woken him out of a sound slumber he'd ignored it at first, rolling over and attempting to go back to sleep. It was the barely noticeable sound of Spud's whimper that made him realize something was seriously wrong, belatedly taking note of how tense the bond was.

The seconds it took to reach the family room felt like an eternity and red darkened his vision the moment he'd laid eyes on Spud almost unconscious, an ottoman pinning him to the ground. His Aunt was pretending to cower away from Bully and only her warning headshake prevented him from killing the other man on the spot. Bully would never know how lucky he was to only get tossed out on the lawn.

"Sir?" Confused Spud blinked as Ethan's face wavered in and out, groaning when the other man lifted him off the floor. Clenching his fingers in Ethan's shirt he couldn't help mumbling a protest when they started moving, "what are you doing?"

"I'm taking you to your room," nodding at his Aunt who was already busy on the phone arranging for extra security Ethan buried his rage under layers of control. "You better not be preparing to tell me you can walk," he warned as Spud opened his mouth to respond.

Trying not to laugh Spud closed his eyes and let Ethan carry him, burrowing his face against the bigger man's solid shoulder. Now that he was more awake he was rapidly becoming aware of the pain in his chest and throat.

Setting Spud down on his bed Ethan brushed his fingers through the other man's hair, "did he hurt you?" Worry easing a fraction when Spud leaned into his touch with a pleased sigh he smoothed the untidy strands back in place, gaze narrowing at the faint smudges just starting to show over the collar of Spud's shirt. Sliding off his bonded's bright pink bowtie and undoing the first few buttons his breath hissed out in rage at the dark bruising, "he choked you?"

"Yes Sir, he's gone bloody mental," shivering as Ethan grazed his fingertips along his neck Spud closed his eyes, enjoying the delicate touch despite the lingering tenderness. "You and your Aunt need to stay away from him, he won't stop until he's put you both through a table."

Jaw clenching in fury, only the solid reality of Spud's warmth under his hands and the bonds reassurance all was well lessened his desire to tear Bully limb from limb, "and yet it's you he seems to consistently hurt." Breathing deeply and soaking in Spud's comforting scent Ethan tried to lighten the somber mood, "besides you know Bully can't really hurt me or Aunt D."

Grumbling at the casual dismissal to Bully's threats Spud caught Ethan's hand and squeezed, willing him to understand his concern, "it's a wooden table Sir, that shatters on impact. You don't see a reason to be concerned about potentially dozens of splinters of wood."

"You've been reading the book," rage dissipating under a rush of warmth Ethan raised Spud's hand and teasingly pressed a kiss to his palm, grinning as the smaller man flushed and fidgeted under his approving look. "That's good, it might be helpful for this Saturday when you meet my parents."

"Oh," voice faint Spud swallowed when Ethan nipped gently before releasing his hand, the distant promise of a bite really shouldn't turn him on so much, especially after everything that had just happened. "I look forward to meeting them Sir."

"Good man Spud. Now I want you to rest while I check in with Aunt D regarding security arrangements. We might have to relocate to a hotel for a few days." Waiting for the other man's nod of agreement he nudged him to lie down and covered him with a warm blanket before leaving to find his Aunt. It physically hurt to leave Spud alone and injured but he also had a responsibility to protect his family.

Approaching the living room Ethan wasn't surprised to hear Serg's voice, his Aunt had called him as soon as Bully was thrown out of the house. Pausing in the doorway he listened as the other man insisted they move to a hotel for the next few nights until increased security could be installed. "I think that's a good idea," he smoothly stepped in when it looked like Aunt D was about to turn down the idea, "you don't want Violet or Toby to feel unsafe in their home, it might be best they see this as some form of adventure."

"Exactly," throwing a grateful look to his nephew Serg was quick to jump on the support, smiling coaxingly at his wife, "we can go to that hotel with all the waterslides, the one they love."

Throwing her hands up Dixie gave in, "alright I'm convinced, I'll pack our bags. Serg you can make the reservation." Not fooled by her nephew's causal posture she laid a gentle hand on his arm, "is Spud okay darling? Do you want to come with us or stay here in the city?"

Touched by the unexpected support from his Aunt who had just barely started to accept his bond Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose, "Bully choked him Aunt D, he has a ring of bruises all the way around his neck." Rage once again darkened his vision and it was only his Aunt's tightening grip that snapped him out of it. Pulling himself together he pushed his anger away and straightened up, "Spud and I will go to a hotel in the city, let you and Serg get some family time in. Plus then we can keep a close eye on the house."

"Okay darling, you go see to your bonded. Serg and I will be out of here within the hour to pick the kids up at school. We'll text you when we arrive," patting Ethan's shoulder Dixie was very careful to keep her voice cheerful. Spud's injury combined with the newness of their bond was bound to make her nephew dangerously on edge.

"Thanks Aunt D," hugging his Aunt Ethan felt the weight of responsibility fall away. With everyone's safety taken care of he was free to concentrate on Spud, pulling his phone out he made quick arrangements as he took the stairs two at a time.

By the time he'd packed for both of them and got a groggy Spud bundled in the car Aunt D and Serg had already left the house. "Where are we going Sir?" Glancing over at Ethan's stoic expression Spud subtly took a deep breath, struggling not to wince at the ache in his chest. Although the details were fuzzy the bruising across his sternum told the story of how carelessly Bully had slammed down the ottoman pinning him.

Taking his eyes off the road for a second to observe the pain Spud was trying so hard to hide Ethan's fingers clenched on the wheel until the leather creaked. Regaining control he reached over and squeezed Spud's knee, "we are going to a hotel for a few days tiger. Aunt D has hired a security company to come in and completely wire the house over the next week." Smiling when thin fingers tangled with his he wasn't surprised at Spud's next question.

"What about your Aunt and the rest of the family?" Resting his head against the back-rest Spud closed his eyes when Ethan started up a soothing caress across his knuckles, missing the other man's fond glance.

"They're taking a mini vacation so the kids aren't disturbed," turning the car radio to a soft rock station Ethan found his tension melting away as the slow steady beat of Spud's heart lulled his other half into calmness. It took almost no time to reach the lavish downtown hotel and he handed his keys over to the valet, gathering Spud to his side he kept a steadying hand on the other man's arm. Several large tips made the check in process quick and painless and he was opening the door to their suite in record time. Taking no notice of their luxurious surroundings he nudged Spud towards the bathroom, "go take a hot shower, you don't want your muscles to stiffen up."

Rolling his eyes at the over protective attitude Spud crossed his arms mulishly, not wanting to admit he just didn't want to be alone again right now, "honestly Sir, they're just bruises. I've had worse."

"Bully put you through a table barely a week ago, then tried to choke you out tonight Spud. Tell me did he stop on his own or did you make him?" The guilty expression on Spud's face that told him the answer. "God knows what else he would have done if I hadn't come downstairs," freezing when Spud shifted uneasily and dropped his gaze Ethan was by his side in a second. Growling he gripped Spud's chin firmly and forced those blue eyes to meet his own, "did Bully do anything else to you?"

Flushing Spud tried to jerk out of Ethan's hold, he very much didn't want to admit to all the extra bruising with the other man being so over-protective, "no sir, he didn't do anything else." His eyes widened at the red that rapidly took over the normally rich brown.

"You're lying to me Spud, I can hear your heartbeat increasing," tightening his grip Ethan pushed a tendril of his power into the bond, using just enough to force the truth. "Tell me what he did."

Shuddering under the pressure Spud opened his mouth, words spilling out dully without his control, "my chest is bruised from the ottoman." Swearing as the dizzying urge to confess left he shoved Ethan hard on the chest, glaring when the bigger man didn't even have the decency to move an inch. "You absolute git, I told you it was nothing. I can't believe you used bloody mind control on me."

"You have a history of not always being honest about your own health tiger and I had to know," using his best conciliatory tone Ethan laid his hands on Spud's shoulders and massaged the tense muscles until the other man finally huffed and relaxed into his touch. "It's my job to take care of you now, not that I've been doing such a great job of it." As expected Spud immediately protested and he let out a breath, he really hadn't meant to expose the ability to influence their bond quite so soon. Moving on quickly he undid the first button on Spud's shirt, the bond flexing in excitement at his low gasp, "you don't mind if I check do you?"

"No," shivering Spud swallowed dryly, "no Sir." Eyes falling half shut as Ethan finishing unbuttoning his shirt and eased it off he couldn't stop the pained whine from escaping when warm fingers touched the bruising decorating his chest.

"I'll kill him," voice low and furious Ethan closed his eyes against the damage marring his bond's skin, fists clenching he fought the protective rage that threatened to overwhelm him, only the touch of Spud's hand on his arm shook him out of his vengeful thoughts. Gaze flying up he took a deep breath at Spud's slight smile, the bond pulsing with a wave of warmth that calmed his other half.

"I'm fine Sir, I promise," holding still as Ethan's hand brushed delicately along his ribs Spud held his gaze until the bigger man reluctantly nodded, red eyes bleeding back to brown.

"Alright tiger," dropping his hand away Ethan tapped into his instinct to take care of his bonded. Overriding the desire to spread the smaller man out on the bed and kiss every inch of bruised skin he briskly steered Spud towards the bathroom, "go shower while I order us some room service." His anger was further calmed when Spud huffed but obeyed him without argument.

It was only later at night, after supper had been consumed and Spud was half dozing on the couch that Ethan found his gaze continuously drawn to the rainbow array of colours decorating his skin. Fury sunk its cold claws into him again and he shook from fighting the desire to track Bully down, it would be so easy to do and he could almost feel bones breaking under his hands … gentle fingers cupped his face and drew him out of the dark rage.

"They're just bruises Sir, I'm fine," clumsily flooding the bond with calmness Spud moved closer as the red slowly fled. "I've read the book like you asked Ethan, I don't want to break the bond." Dropping his hand to Ethan's clenched fist he squeezed reassuringly at the other man's look of doubt.

"Are you sure? Once you agree I'm not going to let you back out," turning his hand over and tangling their fingers together Ethan held his breath, even with the half-threat, half warning Spud's expression didn't shift from its calm acceptance. He suppressed the growing urge to flare out his power and make sure Spud agreed.

"I'm sure," voice firm Spud felt his nerves settle at Ethan's pleased smile, shifting even closer he hesitated for a moment to bring up the next subject but whether it was the bond or just his own desire he ached to re-experience the sweet pleasure of Ethan drinking his blood. "The book indicated you would need to feed every few days and it's been nearly a week since …" trailing off awkwardly he held still as Ethan tipped his head up, shivering as warm fingers trailed down his throat.

Reluctantly pulling back when Spud winced at even that light pressure Ethan shook his head, "I don't want to hurt you tiger." His fangs had already descended at even the idea of tasting Spud's blood again and it pained him to even think of saying no. Gaze dropping to their linked hands as Spud's disappointment blazed through the bond he smiled slowly, "there are other places I can drink from however." Dragging his thumb across Spud's wrist he smirked at the other man's widened eyes and almost frantic nod, it had been such a long time since he'd had the time and freedom to go for anything other than the jugular that his own pulse raced unsteadily.

Raising Spud's wrist Ethan nuzzled along the delicate skin, breathing in his bonded's sweet scent and taking a moment to appreciate the rapid beat of his pulse he gently sank his fangs in. Holding on tightly when Spud gave a startled jerk a surge of lust rolled over him at the low groan escaping the smaller man. Growling as the rich blood flowed over his tongue he tugged Spud closer, slipping an arm around his waist the bond vibrated in satisfaction when Spud leaned trustingly into him. In those precious few moments of complete peace he vowed never to let anyone take this from him.

Biting his lip to prevent another groan from escaping Spud clung to Ethan's arm, waves of ecstasy whiting out his thoughts until his world narrowed to the sensation of a strong body supporting him and the drugging pleasure of blood leaving his veins.

Breathing heavily Ethan forced himself to pull back, the bond was screaming at him to continue but Spud's heart rate had dropped dangerously low. Licking the wounds closed he cupped Spud's jaw, stroking along his cool skin he couldn't deny the surge of relief when blue eyes opened to blink sleepily up at him, "come on tiger, I think it's time I get you to bed."

Barely awake Spud managed to hum in agreement, clumsily curling his arm around Ethan's neck he held on as the bigger man rose and carried him towards his bedroom. Whining in protest when Ethan let go he tried to chase the retreating warmth, unable to hide his contentment when Ethan settled back at his side with a low laugh.

Combing his fingers through Spud's bright hair as the smaller man latched on to his shirt Ethan swallowed past the throb of arousal. Despite what his dick wanted he refused to take advantage of his bonded and so he forced himself to focus on the steady thump Spud's heart. It didn't take long before the reassuring sound lulled him to sleep, satisfied with the simple pleasure of holding his bonded safe and sound in his arms.


	45. Meeting the Parents

Exasperated at the constant fidgeting Ethan slapped Spud's hand away from his bowtie, "stop messing with that, you look perfect." It wasn't even an exaggeration; the plain black suit Spud had chosen flattered his slim build and made him want to forget going slow and drag his bonded to bed.

"I just want to make a good first impression on your parents Sir," slowing down as they reached the restaurant Spud anxiously tugged his collar up another fraction, despite several reassurances from Ethan he wanted to make sure the dark bruises still encircling his neck didn't show. The last thing he needed was for Ethan's parents to think something weird was going on between them.

Catching the gesture Ethan found his irritation melting away, repressing a guilty sigh he laid his hand on Spud's back, "don't worry tiger, you just need to be yourself and I promise my parents will love you." Pushing lightly he nudged Spud through the doors of the restaurant his mother had chosen, her favourite for the amazing views it had of Nashville's skyline.

"Okay Sir," exhaling slowly Spud concentrated on the reassuringly warm pressure of Ethan's hand on his back and not how anxious he felt. After all meeting his best friend's parents should be a piece of cake … and it would be if not for the little voice in the back of his mind mocking him that Ethan was more than just his best friend.

Entering the restaurant Ethan easily spotted his parents, they were seated in their usual spot, a private corner table with the best view in the entire room. With one last squeeze he let Spud trail slightly behind him while he greeted his parents, accepting his mother's hug and kiss with long suffering patience.

Fighting back a smirk at his son's embarrassment Ethan stepped forward and took his wife's attention off his son for a minute. "It's good to see you son, it's been too long."

"It's good to see you too Dad," pulling away from his father's firm hug Ethan reached behind him and snagged Spud's arm, pulling him forward. "This is my bonded Spud." Practically able to feel the anxiety bleeding off the smaller man he squeezed Spud's arm and sent reassurance through the bond, "Spud meet my mom and dad."

"It's James actually and it's lovely to meet you both," holding out his hand Spud blinked when Ethan's mom ignored it and pulled him into a hug. Considering Dixie's reaction to him being bonded to Ethan he hadn't expected such a warm greeting.

"It's lovely to meet you as well James," smiling and hoping she'd contained her surprise Betty stepped back to give her husband room to introduce himself. James was certainly not what she'd expected when Ethan had called to tell them he had bonded with someone. Lord knew she loved her son but he tended to gravitate towards a certain type … a type that wasn't short or to her experienced eye, someone who didn't come from a background of wealth. Even James' blond hair, as lovely as it was, ran completely counter to her sons tastes.

Gesturing them all to sit Ethan made sure his smile remained welcoming, hoping to put James at ease, "we were quite pleased to hear about our son's bonding with you James." Even if his son hadn't told them beforehand he would have known in an instance, the connection between the two men was surprisingly strong for a Vessel Bond.

Smirking playfully Ethan nudged Spud's arm when he looked uncertain on how to respond, "why don't you let me call you James?" The bond flared with warmth and he relaxed into his seat, smug at successfully distracting Spud from his nervousness.

"I never said you couldn't," forgetting their audience for a second Spud narrowed his eyes at Ethan, firmly suppressing the flicker of arousal at hearing his first name on the bigger man's lips. "I only said I wouldn't answer to it."

Amused Betty laughed, "well if it's okay I'll stick with calling you James and you can call me Betty." Despite her initial surprise she was delighted her son had made such a good choice to form his second Vessel Bond with. She'd honestly started to fear it would never happen, the scars that red-headed bitch had left went far deeper than just physical.

"Of course Mrs. Carter … I mean Betty," hastily correcting at her rather intimating stare Spud smothered a smile at noting how very similar it was to Ethan's. It was quite clear who Ethan got his gorgeous brown eyes from.

Conversation halted briefly as the waitress came by and took their order. Once she'd left Spud dug his fingers into the soft leather of his chair when Ethan's father turned his attention back to him, half convinced the older man was going to know he wasn't good enough for Ethan.

"As pleased as we are, Betty and I were quite surprised to hear Ethan had formed a Bond when we returned from out of the country. I don't know if my son has mentioned it but he hasn't been involved in one in more than four decades." Catching how his son shifted uneasily from the corner of his eye Ethan wasn't surprised to find James hadn't known, truthfully he would have been more shocked if his son had talked about his last experience.

"No, Sir," looking away Spud frowned as Ethan hunched in on himself, if he didn't know the other man so well he would have missed the flash of pain in his eyes. Suddenly he fiercely hated whoever had made Ethan afraid of forming Vessel Bonds, everything he'd read had indicated it was a very natural, necessary act. "I'm afraid however it's less that Ethan chose it and more it just happened due to the situation."

Exchanging a worried glance with her husband Betty laid her hand over her son's, squeezing until he reluctantly looked up, "what situation dear? You didn't mention anything beyond the fact you'd formed a bond."

Squirming as his father sent him an equally questioning stare Ethan kicked Spud's foot under the table, ignoring the scowl he got in return. "I didn't want to worry either of you since it's over and done with." Half sighing as his mother squeezed his hand in encouragement he reluctantly continued, "I was shot when out feeding, I was able to deal with the situation and make it back to Aunt D's house but by that time I'd lost a lot of blood. That was when Spud found me and … helped."

"You were shot and didn't tell us?" Checking her voice that had started to rise Betty shook her head and glared disappointedly at her son, calming slightly when her husband squeezed her knee under the table. "Honestly Ethan how could you not mention this before now."

"I was going to," defensively crossing his arms Ethan struggled not to pout, his mother's disappointment made him feel ten years old again. It was Spud's sympathetic look that encouraged him to continue, voice firm, "I didn't want to tell you over the phone."

"Well," glancing at her husband and taking comfort from the flood of reassurance through their bond Betty let out a slow breath and decided to let her son off the hook, "we expect you to tell us these things in the future son." Turning to James, who had carefully kept out of the conversation she caught his lovely eyes and smiled gratefully, "thank you for taking care of our son."

Blushing and silently grateful the tension had eased Spud shrugged off the praise, looking at Ethan with an unconsciously adoring smile, "it was nothing honestly. I had to help however I could, especially since Ethan wouldn't let me call an ambulance."

"Took me shattering the phone to get you to stop trying though," sharing a laugh with his parents Ethan smirked when this time it was Spud who kicked his ankle under the table.

Looking around the room to make sure no one was close enough to overhear Spud kept his voice low, "well its hardly every day you find out your friend can heal from a gunshot wound."

Watching his son roll his eyes Ethan felt the tight ball of worry this bond would turn out like the last ease. It was clear his son and James were truly friends, he couldn't remember the last time he'd seen Ethan good-naturedly teasing someone not in the family. "Has my son informed you of all consequences of the bond you share?" Determined this time that the mistakes of the past wouldn't be repeated he ignored the annoyed glare his son shot him.

"Yes Sir, Ethan explained everything. He even lent me a book to read on the subject," not missing the equal concern on Betty's face Spud hastened to reassure Ethan's parents. After all the warnings and his own observations it hadn't been hard to piece together that whatever had happened in the past revolved around the issue of immortality. "I want you both to know I care about your son and I would never do anything to hurt him."

"Thank you James, I'm happy my son has such a good friend," it really was adorable how easily James blushed under the slightest compliment. Hiding her smile as their meals were brought out Betty turned the conversation to more general topics allowing supper to pass in a pleasant manner. Quickly discovering James had a well-educated mind and a sly sense of humour she greatly enjoyed, before the night ended she was positive Ethan had finally found the perfect person to bond with.

Outside of the restaurant watching the two men leave, her son's hand resting on James' back in a gesture so casual she knew it was commonplace between them. Her son who hated casual contact. Leaning against her husband's side Betty sighed happily, "I don't think we have anything to worry about this time darling. James seems like a good man and just what our son needs to finally get over that woman."

Smiling at the optimism in his wife's voice Ethan pulled her into his arms and spun her in a circle until she laughed and smacked his chest. "I agree my love, I'm quite happy with Ethan's choice. It's easy to see how much James cares about him."

Smirking and not surprised Ethan hadn't picked up on the signs Betty slid her fingers through his dark curls, rising up on tiptoe to whisper in his ear, "James does more than care for our son darling, he's in love with him."

"What? Are you sure?" The look Betty shot him was full of amusement at his surprise, "right of course you're sure. Well I don't know if our son has noticed but he could do a lot worse." Musing out loud, and not at all put off by the idea of his son becoming involved with another man Ethan tucked his wife's hand around his arm. "Ethan deserves to enjoy a proper Vessel Bond, it's time he stopped settling for emotionless flings." He did wonder briefly how his sister would take the news, she'd always been the slowest of the family to change with the times.

Strolling towards the car Betty couldn't resist teasing, "and of course it doesn't hurt James has a sexy accent," squeezing her husband's arm as he shook his head and huffed in amusement she added, "and such pretty eyes."

Opening the car door Ethan kissed his wife slowly, nibbling on her bottom lip until they were both breathing heavy, "the only eyes you should be paying attention to are mine dear wife." Winking at her delighted laugh he reluctantly pulled away and slipped behind the wheel.


	46. A little taste of revenge

Chatting cheerfully Spud knew despite Ethan's silence and slight scowl the other man was actually amused, their bond warm with contentment. Even Dixie's poorly hidden surprise at Ethan's parents approval of their bond hadn't been enough to dampen his good mood. The only dark blot on his happiness was the ever-present worry of running into Bully, if someone told him a month ago he'd be more concerned on what Bully might do than Willow's well documented insanity he'd have called _them_ crazy. At least Willow had only really targeted him and had left Ethan alone. Plus these days Willow was pre-occupied with someone else, leaving him with one less thing to worry about.

Dropping his bag Ethan went back over the email his Aunt had sent this morning, her plan for a bit of revenge on Bully certainly wasn't the worst he'd ever heard but he in no way wanted Spud exposed to that man again so soon after the break-in. Now just to convince his bonded to stay away.

Taking a deep breath Ethan interrupted Spud's bright chatter, "I want you to stay in the locker room tonight," wincing as the smile fell off of Spud's face he held up a hand to stop his automatic protect. "The bruises have barely faded and I don't want to risk Bully getting his hands on you again."

"I'll _be_ careful Sir," struggling to keep the annoyance out of his voice Spud crossed his arms, glancing away from the worry in Ethan's eyes. His pride stung under the idea of how weak the other man must think he was.

Catching Spud's wrist Ethan rubbed his hands up and down his arms, "hey now, I know you will, that's not what I'm worried about." Feeling the bond grow tight with tension he tugged the smaller man closer, petting slow circles on his arms until Spud huffed and relaxed against him, "I know you can handle yourself tiger, what I'm worried about is ripping Bully's throat out if he so much as looks at you." Spud's startled laugh cut off when blue eyes rose to his face.

"You're serious," watching the red swirl and mix with the brown of Ethan's eyes Spud felt like the breath was punched out of him, warmth curling through him so quickly it was all he could do not to give into the desire to kiss the other man.

"We share a bond now Spud, you're going to have to get used to me being over protective," voice husky the siren call of Spud's rapid heartbeat had his fangs descending, fingers flexing against the smaller man's biceps Ethan forced himself to let go and take a painful step back. Barely two weeks past forming his second Vessel bond he didn't want to rush the changes in their relationship.

"Alright, I'll stay back this time but if you're not going to have anyone watching your back I want you at your strongest," it had been six days since Ethan had last fed from him and his body ached to feel that spine-melting pleasure again. There was a good chance he was becoming addicted but with the heat of Ethan's gaze focused on where he was undoing his bowtie Spud couldn't bring himself to care.

Barely breathing Ethan dug his nails into his palm as Spud undid the first few buttons of his shirt, "you know you don't need to tiger. It'll be another few days before I have to feed," it almost physically hurt to offer Spud the chance to change his mind, memories of how Sophia had always put off allowing him to feed as long as she could filling his mind.

"I want to, Sir," letting his hand drop Spud tilted his chin up, clumsily reaching into the bond to show his willingness he couldn't help but wonder what made Ethan doubt his offer. Could he honestly have no idea how amazing it felt? Or maybe something was wrong with his reaction, maybe he wasn't supposed to enjoy it. The cold pinch of worry swiftly flitted to the back of his mind under Ethan's sudden smile, the hint of sharp fangs made his pulse leap and he melted into the strong hand curling around the back of his neck.

Pressing his mouth to the rapid beat of Spud's pulse Ethan nipped teasingly, shuddering under the wave of arousal that raced through the bond he bit down more roughly than intended. Humming soothingly at Spud's pained whine he slipped a hand under his shirt and rubbed calming circles against his skin in silent apology. The anxiety not to cause any more pain was enough of a distraction from the addicting taste of Spud's blood that he was able to pull back before he took too much. Licking across the wounds he reluctantly removed his hands from Spud's skin and swept the smaller man up in his arms, carrying him over to the comfortable armchair despite his protests.

"Sometimes I think you forget I can walk," summoning the energy to complain through the satisfaction filling his body Spud lazily flipped Ethan off at his amused smirk. Curling deeper in the chair he sighed in contentment when the other man tucked a blanket around him, gentle fingers carding through his hair until he was lulled to the edge of sleep.

"You're to stay here tiger, no matter what you see on the monitor remember it's all part of Aunt D's plan," hand dropping away from the blond silk of Spud's hair Ethan found his mouth twitching at his bonded's grumble, he didn't think he'd ever get tired of how obviously Spud enjoyed his touch. "I'll be back soon."

Leaving his bonded sleeping off the blood loss Ethan found his way to his Aunt's office, losing himself in her excited planning in order to subdue the urge to forget everything and take Spud back home. It was a relief when it was time to follow her down to the ring, fulfilling his role in looking intimidating he was just able to control his rage when Bully put in an appearance, drawn out by his Aunt's increasingly shrill demands. Waiting for the last moment Ethan ushered Aunt D out of the ring at the same time Bully rolled in, smirking up at the other man's snarl of anger it was his Aunt's nails digging into his wrist that kept the red from leaking into his eyes.

Assured her nephew was in control Dixie turned her full attention back on the man pacing the ring, matching his glare and suppressing her own growl of fury, "how dare you invade my home and then think you can get away with it. I don't care if you have a problem with me but my children have no part in this." Taking a deep breath to lock down her rage at his sneer she felt the crowd falter and shift to her side, "I am going to see you pay for what you did Bully."

"You mean if MVP lets you do anything," grinning cruelly Bully spread his arms and shrugged off her glare, "I told you I'm not going to stop until I put you through a table and there is _nothing_ you can do to prevent it." Shifting his attention an inch to the right he met the cold dark eyes of Ethan Carter, irritated at the hint of unease sliding through him he lowered the mic and went on the attack, "how's your 'friend' Carter? I hope I didn't damage the little guy too much."

Teeth clenching Ethan refused to give the other man the satisfaction of responding, allowing nothing in his expression to give away the stealthy approach of Roode and the annoying but effective Bromans from behind. Perhaps sensing something at the last moment Bully half turned away, too late to stop the blow from Roode that sent him to his knees. With three men attacking it didn't take long until Bully was left groaning and barely conscious on the mat.

Gesturing for the Bromans to get a table Ethan held the ropes down for his Aunt, landing a kick to Bully's chest in the exact spot where Spud had been bruised as he passed him. Once the table was set up Roode impatiently dragged Bully to his feet, shoving his sagging form into Jessie's strong grip where he was foisted up and slammed down to crash through the table.

Smiling triumphantly Dixie stood over Bully's groaning body, "this is only the beginning Bully, no one messes with my family." Dropping the mic she gracefully stepped over the debris and exited the ring, waving cheerfully at the odd mixture of cheers and boos from the crowd. The rage that had fueled her the last few days finally easing to the point where all she wanted to do was find her mate and accept his comfort.

Pausing as Roode and the Broman's followed his Aunt up the ramp Ethan crouched by Bully, watching his attempts to roll over until the other man's gaze landed on his face. The dazed pain in Bully's eyes sharpened and he easily evaded his clumsy lunge, letting just a fraction of his rage to leak into his voice, "the next time you touch Spud I'll make sure this is just a walk in the park." Stepping back he ignored Bully's curses, the fear he'd seen in the other man's eyes put a spring in his step and he dismissed him from his mind. Time to collect his bonded and drag him out to the nicest restaurant this town had to offer.


	47. Under the Table

Confidant that after last week's beat down that Bully would no longer be a problem Ethan didn't even think to worry when his Aunt sent Spud out on several errands. It was that over-confidence that made the attack by Bully and his gang seem to come out of nowhere, chaos reigning as they all scattered out of the ring. Fighting to keep his temper in check he pushed through the crowd of people surrounding him, feeling a frisson of unease at not finding his bonded nearby. Elbowing Roode out of his way, uncaring of the dark and dangerous look shot at his back he made it to his Aunt's side. "Where's Spud? I last saw him helping you." At her shrug some instinct made him turn to look back at the ring, a deadly growl escaping his throat at spotting Spud desperately hiding under the table with his name on it. Starting forward with the intention of rescuing his bonded his vision swam red when a hand grabbed his arm and forcefully stopped him.

"You can't go down there darling," tightening her grip when her nephew lurched forward Dixie kept her voice sympathetic but firm, "there's no way you can explain being able to hold your own against five other men." She hated that she had to be the voice of reason … damn Spud for not getting out of the way.

Futilely trying to shake off his Aunt's grip Ethan shuddered, the bond giving a sickening stab of fear as Bully grabbed a hold of Spud's ankle and dragged him out from under the dubious safety of the table. "He's going to hurt him, I have to do something."

"You can't," shaking Ethan's arm Dixie dug her fingernails in, hanging on desperately as her nephew almost managed to overpower her. She had to calm him down now before their secret was exposed on national television, threading power into her voice she snapped, "get a hold of yourself Ethan."

Agonized Ethan shut his eyes to block out the sight of Bully hoisting Spud's struggling form in the air, the fear in the bond ripping through his self-control until he had to lock down every instinct screaming at him to run to the rescue. Whining under his breath at the devastating sound of Spud's body slamming through a table he barely heard his Aunt's soothing murmurs. Forcing back every trace of rage he was moving towards the ring the second his eyes were once again normal, so focused on Spud's unmoving form he didn't even see a smirking Bully Ray pass by.

Ducking into the ring Ethan all but flung the broken shards of table off of Spud, stroking trembling fingers along the smaller man's jaw, "I'm so sorry tiger, please be okay." Ignoring the refs trying to push him back he gathered Spud up in his arms, hushing him gently as he whimpered at the change of position.

"Ethan," looking down at the almost soundless whisper Ethan swallowed painfully at the dazed look in Spud's eyes, lips twitching into a half smile when thin fingers tangled into his shirt. "I can walk Sir," a strangled laugh escaped at Spud's lopsided teasing smile, and just like that his fear of a serious injury disappeared under the familiar words.

"Of course you can tiger, you're just going to have to humour me for now," making his way out of the ring at Spud's hummed agreement Ethan ignored the voices around him. The trip to his locker room seemed to take forever and he was only dimly aware of Aunt D's voice informing the staff to get out of his way. Kicking the door shut, uncaring it was practically in his Aunt's face he gently laid Spud down on the couch, holding back the urge to order him to stay down as the other man struggled to sit up.

Thankful for the quiet Spud massaged his aching head, taking note of the various aches and pains in his body he darted a look to the side when Ethan sat next to him, he was coming to know that particular worried frown all too well. "I'm okay Sir honestly," squeezing Ethan's knee he leaned back against the couch, "just a little sore."

Rumbling a half-laugh Ethan breathed in Spud's warm scent, keeping a close eye on every wince of pain, every aborted motion, needing more than the other man's word that he wasn't hurt. One of these days he was really going to have to break Spud's habit of downplaying his own injuries. Long drowsy moments passed in peace, Spud's breathing deepening into a light doze when his phone vibrated and pulled his attention to the outside world, reading his Aunt's text with an irritated curse.

"What's wrong?" Blinking to clear his vision Spud read the screen Ethan thrust at him, frowning up at the other man's vicious scowl in confusion, "I'm afraid I don't understand Sir." It was just a simple text from Dixie requesting they come meet with her to plan their response to Bully's actions.

Taking his phone back Ethan huffed angrily, "you were just put through a table Spud and while you put on a good face I know you're in pain." At Spud's automatic protest he glared until the smaller man subsided, "don't try to deny it, we're bonded tiger I know how much pain you're in." Coming to a decision he stood and gently pulled Spud to his feet, tucking him close as he paled and groaned at the change in position, "that's it, Aunt D doesn't really need us, I'm taking you back to the hotel."

"You know as well as I do that disobeying your Aunt's orders isn't a good idea," sighing Spud briefly pressed his aching head into Ethan's strong shoulder, giving up on hiding his exhaustion as a warm hand massaged the tightness out of his back. "Let's just get through the rest of tonight and then I promise I'll rest as much as you want the next few days."

Closing his eyes and as much as he hated to admit it Spud was right, Aunt D would not be pleased if they left now. No matter what the reason was. Annoyed Ethan gave in despite his bonded's obvious pain, "I'm going to hold you to that." Wrapping his arm around Spud's waist he supported the other man's weight despite his automatic grumble. Scowling at anyone who dared even look in their direction his jaw bunched, murmuring low enough for only Spud to hear, "you're to stay by my side or no matter what Aunt D wants we're leaving." He felt marginally better at Spud's quick agreement, the bond mollified enough it no longer felt like a rubber band was drawing him tighter and tighter.

It was edging towards an hour into their meeting and his Aunt's angry rant against Bully showed no sign of winding down, all the time his bonded sagged further and further into the steading arm he keep around his waist until Ethan couldn't take it anymore. Interrupting his Aunt, something he usually tried not to do he stood, dragging Spud up with him, "I'm sorry Aunt D but I really need to get Spud back to the hotel."

Taken aback Dixie stomped on her natural reaction to complain, taking in the stress on her nephews face and the pain lining Spud's for the first time, "of course darling, I'm sorry for keeping you. Do let me know if you need anything."

"Sure Aunt D, thanks," smiling perfunctorily Ethan urged Spud out the door, pausing only briefly to gather their luggage, which he didn't allow the smaller man to so much as touch he led the way to the waiting car. Settling his bonded in the back seat and directing the driver to take them to their hotel he captured Spud's hand, holding on tightly as blue eyes blinked at him in weary pain. "We'll be there soon, tiger, just rest for now."

"Yes, Sir," sighing faintly Spud closed his eyes and gave into the gentle rocking of the car, not stirring until Ethan squeezed his hand. It was a struggle to hide the pain spreading through his body at climbing out of the car and he wasn't entirely sure he succeeded based on the worried look Ethan turned on him.

Opening the door to their suite Ethan dropped their luggage and immediately turned to assess Spud's slumped form, "bath for you I think, then a hot meal and a good night's sleep." Overriding the smaller man's objections he pushed him into the bathroom and started the water, "you'll feel better after I promise."

"Fine Sir, but I don't think this is necessary. I'm fine," giving in with ill grace Spud slid off his bow-tie and started undoing his shirt, all he wanted to do was go to bed and it took him a long moment to realize Ethan was watching his every move. Flushing he looked up into warm dark eyes, cursing the sudden flood of desire at the thought of the other man watching him undress.

"Indulge me tiger," for a wild moment heat blazed through the bond and Ethan almost gave into its demands, only the lingering pain underneath everything stilling his desire to drag Spud to bed and truly _indulge_.

"Sir?" The breathless note in Spud's tone brought him to his senses and Ethan realized he had moved closer without meaning to. Clearing his throat he forced a smile and backed out the door, "I'll, just order us some supper."

Closing the door Ethan concentrated on choosing a simple meal from the menu and not on the sounds of water splashing as Spud climbed into the tub, sternly ordering his imagination to stop picturing his bonded naked. Naked and wet. Naked, wet and with his heart racing deliciously fast … and still in pain. Groaning he thrust the thought from his mind, now wasn't the time to be thinking about taking Spud to his bed.

Restless he changed into something more comfortable, turning the tv on and channel surfing until a knock forced him to his feet. Grumbling he opened the door and gestured the room service attendant in, waiting impatiently while the dishes were laid out on the dining table he tipped generously, closing and locking the door just in time for Spud to finally venture out of the bathroom.

"Just in time," waving Spud to take a seat Ethan poured his bonded a cup of tea, smiling indulgently at his sigh of pleasure on taking a sip he pulled the covers off of their simple meal of pasta, the fragrant smell of cheese filling the air. "Feeling better?"

"Yes, Sir," twirling pasta on his fork Spud rolled his eyes at the other man's smug smile, easily able to read his satisfaction at being right. In truth while the bath had eased the ache from his muscles it only made his exhaustion all the more evident, which is why when their meal was finished he didn't protest when Ethan directed him to go to bed. Burying himself under the ridiculously plush bedding he struggled to find a comfortable position, dozing at times only to wake up either too hot or too cold. Finally frustrated he kicked the covers off, scrubbing his hands through his hair he groaned at seeing it was only just past midnight, at this rate he was never going to get a proper sleep.

Hissing at how cold the tiles were against his bare feet he stumbled into the bathroom, staring at the dark circles under his eyes he strained to hear if Ethan was still awake. Biting his lip he tiptoed into the living room, disappointed to find the room dark he hesitated outside Ethan's door, wavering on if he should disturb the other man. Finally, resigning himself to a sleepless night he turned away, freezing when Ethan's voice ordered him to come in.

Sitting up as his door opened Ethan did a quick once over of Spud's face, frowning at the clear exhaustion in every line of his body, the muted tightness in the bond suddenly making sense. "Can't sleep?" Reaching out he snagged the smaller man's arm and tugged him closer, smothering a smile when Spud huffed and shook his head, a small but undeniable pout on his face.

"No Sir, I'm sorry if I woke you up," wishing he could see Ethan's expression more clearly in the dark room Spud took courage from the warm fingers still curled snugly around his wrist. "I was wondering if you'd drink from me, if you don't mind that is?" Flushing when Ethan didn't say anything he hurried to add, "it's just I sleep better after and …" Between one breath and the next he found himself flat on his back with Ethan hovering over him, an embarrassingly high-pitched whine escaping when sharp teeth briefly nipped his skin.

Fire licking through his veins Ethan growled, "if I don't mind?" Tangling his fingers in Spud's hair he tugged his head back, baring the slender length of the smaller man's neck he met Spud's wide blue eyes, allowing his amused pleasure to flood the bond, "_if_ it was practical tiger, I'd feed from you every day." Spud's response was lost as he bit down, rich blood exploding across his taste buds he struggled to hold his weight off the smaller man, not ready for Spud to feel the full extent of exactly how much he enjoyed feeding from him.

Clinging to Ethan's shoulders bliss slid through his veins until all he was left with was drowsy pleasure Spud moaned in disappointment when the other man pulled away. Shuddering as a wicked tongue licked across his skin he vainly tried to pull Ethan closer, throwing a leg over the bigger man's hip he was only dimly aware of the muted groan that greeted his action, exhaustion finally dragging into some much needed sleep.

Swearing Ethan smoothed trembling fingers down Spud's side, eyes closing to concentrate on the glorious sensation of having his bonded pressed so intimately and so obviously aroused against him. Letting out a shaky breath he forced himself to roll off of the smaller man, sending soothing energy through the bond when Spud half-woke and hummed questioningly. Waiting a minute to be sure Spud had fallen back asleep he stumbled out of bed and fled to the bathroom. The door had barely closed before he was shoving his pants down and fisting his cock, biting his lip against a loud groan he leaned against the door and panted. Eyes closed and with the taste of Spud's blood still coating his tongue his orgasm ripped through him in a flash, shuddering through the after-effects it was a long moment before he recovered enough to straighten up and stumble to the sink.

Washing his hands and splashing cold water on his flushed face he grabbed a wash cloth to clean up his mess, unable to help but laugh at the situation. Never in his life had he denied his own gratification for the sake of another person, his many one-nights stands had all been about blood and sex, even his first bond with Sophia their relationship had consisted mostly of sex, it was the one thing that had always worked well between them. But now with Spud … he wanted the time to be right, wanted everything to be perfect in ways he'd never cared about before. Huffing out another laugh he tossed the cloth in the corner, "always the exception tiger."

Slipping back into bed he tucked Spud against his side, pressing his lips to the remaining evidence of his bite he drifted along the tide of satisfaction humming through the bond. Contentment settling like a warm blanket over the jagged wounds left from his first bond.


	48. Concert

Crossing his arms Ethan leaned against the wall, watching Spud studiously bent over the latest batch of paperwork his Aunt could no longer be bothered to do. "Hard at work tiger?" Grinning when Spud jumped and looked up at him with a scowl he strolled closer, dropping a set of tickets on top of the papers.

"I wish you wouldn't bloody sneak up on me," huffing when Ethan's smirk didn't even have the decency to dim at his complaint Spud turned his attention to the pair of tickets, eyes widening at the sight of one of his favourite bands written across the top. "What's this Sir?"

"Hmm, I'd say it's a pair of tickets to a concert, I don't suppose you know anyone who'd like to go with me?" Not at all fooled by Spud's nonchalant shrug Ethan shoved his hands in his pockets, waiting out the growing excitement in the bond.

"I might know of someone," pulling out his cellphone Spud pretended to flip through his contacts, fighting the delighted smile that wanted to break free. "I do believe some of your Aunt's more influential friends have daughters eager for a date."

Laughing Ethan shook his head and snatched Spud's phone away from him, "no thanks tiger, I think I'd much rather attend with you. If you can pull yourself away from all this exciting paperwork that is."

Casting a critical gaze over how much work he had left Spud dismissed the small voice in the back of his mind demanding he finish, "I'd love to Sir." The warm approval in Ethan's dark eyes hit him like a bolt of lightning and he barely stopped from flinging his arms around the other man.

"Good man," tugging Spud upright Ethan steered him out of the room, "now go get ready, we leave in fifteen minutes." Smirking at Spud's startled curse he left him scrambling to get changed and took a moment to inform his Aunt where they were going, trying not to let her complaints dampen his good mood. With as busy as she kept Spud he fully intended to enjoy these stolen moments.

Arriving at the arena only a little late Ethan ushered Spud to their VIP box, unable to stop smiling as the smaller man took in the luxurious room with wide-eyed surprise. Sometimes he forgot Spud wasn't used to the trappings that came with being rich and it gave him a slow wick of pleasure to imagine what else he could spoil his bonded with.

"This is bloody amazing Ethan," peering over the balcony to the stage that almost seemed close enough to touch Spud flushed a little under the other man's indulgent look. For a second feeling horribly gauche before Ethan dropped an arm over his shoulders and nodded his agreement.

"They are pretty good seats, I'm rather impressed myself," feeling the tension in Spud's muscles ease Ethan subtly gestured the box's dedicated wait staff to bring over drinks. Hopefully the liquor would relax his bonded to the point he forgot to worry if he was acting appropriately or not.

By the time the opening act finished their set and the main band and started playing Ethan found his attention straying more to the man by his side then to the music, as good as it was. Infected by his bonded's excitement and with the drinks flowing it was impossible not to join Spud in singing along as loudly as possible, realizing how bad he had it for the smaller man when he even found his horrible off-key singing charming. By the time the concert ended his voice was hoarse and Spud was listing heavily, leaning into his steading grip and clearly drunk.

"I had a really brilliant time," giggling when Ethan shushed him Spud held his hand over his mouth, tip-toing with exaggerating care he would have stumbled into a table if Ethan hadn't grabbed his arm.

"God you're drunk," keeping an ear out for any sign of his Aunt Ethan tugged Spud through the darkened house, amused at how badly the smaller man was at staying quiet.

"I am," nodding solemnly Spud giggled at Ethan's huff, ducking under his arm to run towards his room, making a game of dodging around obstacles until he was dizzy and breathless. Pouting when a strong hand reached out and snagged his arm, redirecting him away from the couch and into his room.

"Lush," smiling fondly Ethan nudged Spud towards the bed, the bond was a kaleidoscope of colours and he debated if it was worth the struggle to try to force several cups of coffee into the other man.

Gaze dipping to Ethan's smiling mouth Spud swayed closer, voice lowering conspiratorially, "if you drink my blood would you get drunk too?" Emboldened by Ethan's sharp inhale he slid his hands up the bigger man's warm chest, humming in appreciation at the firm muscles under his fingers. Tipping his head back he stared up at Ethan's blurry features, fluttering his eyes, "you can if you want to."

"Spud," groaning Ethan captured the other man's roaming hand, tender amusement fighting with the desire to give into what Spud was so innocently offering. "God tiger if you weren't quite so drunk I'd take you up on that in a second."

"But I want you to," whining Spud pouted when Ethan only shook his head and forced him to sit on the bed.

"What you need is sleep," kneeling down Ethan removed Spud's shoes, firmly quashing the flare of arousal at how easy it would be to tug the smaller man's pants off and _taste_ his bonded. Swallowing the flood of saliva he stood and briskly pulled the other man's t-shirt off, smoothing back a strand of hair he cupped Spud's face, "besides, it wouldn't get me drunk." Smiling as Spud giggled and nuzzled into his hand he concentrated on easing his bonded into sleep, catching him as he sagged he carefully laid him down, tucking the covers over him securely. "Night tiger," stepping back he turned away before he gave into the urge to join Spud, instead heading to his room he collapsed on his lonely bed, sinking into the bond he focused on keeping it calm and peaceful until sleep swept over him.

The next morning he was up early, cheerfully collecting a bottle of aspirin, pot of tea and hot buttered toast Ethan nudged the door to Spud's room open, unsurprised to find the other man stirring fitfully. Setting the tray down he sat on the edge of the bed and carded his fingers through his bonded's hair, smiling as blue eyes fluttered open only to slam shut with a pained grimace. "Headache?" Smirking when Spud grunted and flipped him off he tugged the smaller man upright despite his pitiful moans.

"You're so mean Sir," slumping against Ethan's shoulder Spud blinked as two aspirin were placed in his hand and a cup of tea held out patiently. Taking it he closed his eyes and inhaled the aroma, swallowing the medication with a grateful sigh.

"Still mean?" Teasing Ethan held out the plate of toast, snagging a slice as Spud shook his head and nibbled on his own.

"No, Sir, you're my hero," looking up Spud bit his lip at Ethan's amused smile, relaxing against him until the toast was all gone. Finally unable to ignore his bladder any longer he struggled out of bed, flushing when Ethan had to steady him he shuffled to the bathroom. After taking care of business he washed up and brushed his teeth, feeling immeasurably better once the horrible taste was out of his mouth. Rummaging through his clothes hamper he changed into the cleanest pair of pajamas, glad to ditch his skinny jeans on the floor. Venturing back out he paused at finding Ethan stretched out on his bed, contentment pushing back his lingering headache as he joined the other man.

Making room for his bonded to curl up under the blankets Ethan studied Spud's face, pleased the find the traces of pain all but gone, "feel better now?"

Sighing Spud inched closer to the bigger man's warmth, "yes, though I really should go finish the paperwork your Aunt left for me. You know she won't be happy if she finds it not completed."

"Plenty of time yet," waving his hand dismissively Ethan fought the protective impulse that urged he keep his bonded in bed until he was fully recovered, knowing Spud was right and Aunt D would blame him at some point if yesterday's work wasn't finished. Finding the smaller man's arm under the pile of bedding he tugged until with a surprised hum Spud settled against him, tucking an arm securely around his waist just in case he decided to make a run for the paperwork.

Eyes closing Spud breathed in the pleasant scent of Ethan's cologne, the familiar notes of sandalwood lulling him closer to sleep even as a flicker of arousal flared to life at the strong hand slowly stroking along his back. There was just one worry in the back of his mind that kept him from fully surrendering to his exhaustion, "I didn't do anything … inappropriate last night did I?" Holding his breath he scowled and thumped Ethan in the side as the chest under his head shook in silent laughter. "Not funny Sir, I don't even remember making it to bed."

"Well, you might have nearly knocked over several of Aunt D's very expensive vases," pretending to think Ethan grinned teasingly, trapping Spud's hand against his chest when he moved to smack him again. "You might also have asked me if I could get drunk off of drinking your blood and then offered to get me drunk." This time he laughed outright as Spud flushed bright red and hid his face, voice emerging so muffled he could barely pick out his words.

"I'm so sorry Sir," warm amusement flooded through the bond and Spud found himself relaxing again, the sharp edge of embarrassment fading away as Ethan kneaded tension from his muscles.

Dragging the blankets up further Ethan created a cocoon of warmth around them, "don't apologize tiger, it was a very tempting offer." Resuming the slow pets up and down Spud's back he couldn't stop the sappy smile from spreading across his face at the smaller man's sleepy murmur. The possessive side of his nature preened at how easily his bonded could fall asleep in his arms, determined to enjoy every moment until the real world inevitably intruded.


	49. First Blood

It was near midnight by the time Dixie finally released him with a long list of tasks, the hotel so quiet Spud fought the urge to tiptoe towards his room. Not only was he bloody starving he was about ready to jump out of his skin with how tightly he'd been suppressing his worry for Ethan. Unbidden the image of Ethan staggering from the ring, blood staining the hand clutching his forehead leapt to mind. Even though intellectually he knew Ethan was fine the fact he been unable to lay eyes on the bigger man weighed heavily on the bond. Damn Bully anyway and damn the Broman's for abandoning Ethan when he'd needed them.

Opening the door he sighed in relief at finding Ethan still awake, sprawled out comfortably on the couch. "Sir," hurrying forward as the other man looked up the start of a smile fell at the sight of a bandage standing out stark white against Ethan's tanned skin, heart pounding in sudden fear he reached out, hesitating just before he made contact, "I thought you weren't hurt."

"I'm not," grasping Spud's wrist Ethan frowned at how fast the smaller man's pulse was racing, dipping into the bond he was startled by how truly worried his bonded was, cursing himself for allowing Aunt D to talk him out of stopping by to check in with Spud after his match. She'd kept the other man so busy he hadn't considered how much he might worry, which he should have, if there was one thing he knew it was Spud worried about everything. Releasing Spud's arm he quickly pulled the bandage off to reveal smooth skin, smiling at the look of wonder on Spud's face he leaned into the tentative touch brushing along his forehead, "see I'm fine."

"There's no wound," slumping in relief Spud flushed dully at the amusement in Ethan's dark eyes, worry dissolving into a low simmer of heat when large, warm hands slipped down to rest on his waist. "Sir?" His flush deepened at the breathless note of longing in his voice.

"Surely you didn't forget how fast I heal," allowing the tips of his fangs show in a teasing smile Ethan deliberately focused his gaze to Spud's neck. "But if you're worried you can help me replace what I've lost." All the annoyance he'd been harbouring at his tag partners abandoning him and forcing him to allow Bully to draw first blood evaporated when Spud immediately undid his bright green bowtie, the bond fairly quivering in excitement at the other man's eagerness.

Stumbling when Ethan tugged on his arm Spud bit back a groan, from one breath to another he found himself straddling the bigger man. Struggling to keep some distance he shivered when Ethan brushed his hands aside and took over the task of unbuttoning his shirt, large hands easing inside to settle possessively on his skin. This time a moan did break free as lips grazed along his throat, the sharp pinch of fangs aching so sweetly he scrambled to get closer, fingers digging into Ethan's shoulders. Sagging it was only Ethan's steadying grip that kept him upright as the blood loss made him dizzy, slipping into the pleasurable daze that came from being fed on.

Drinking until Spud's heartrate slowed and he had to stop Ethan reluctantly drew back, delicately lapping up the slight spill of blood he sealed the wounds, the bond glowing in utter satisfaction at Spud's low whine of pleasure. Smoothing his fingers through soft hair he patiently waited until the other man opened his eyes and looked at him. "Thank you," the slow, contented smile Spud gave had him tugging the smaller man into a hug, breath hissing out as the new position proved how much they had both enjoyed this interlude. Jaw bunching it took all his effort not to rock up into Spud's welcoming body. His bonded so out of it he wasn't even sure he'd noticed, barely grumbling a protest as he carefully shifted him off his lap he held onto one slim wrist as his bonded sighed and slumped against his shoulder.

Losing himself in the steady thrum of his bonded's pulse under his fingers Ethan couldn't stop from thinking on how very different this bond was to his first and as much as he hated thinking about the bitch he also couldn't help but compare them. More often than he cared to admit he'd gone weeks without feeding from Sophia, feeling absolutely nothing at the lack of contact. Yet with Spud barely a day could pass before he felt the clawing need to be close, the craving to feed when he wasn't hungry. Their bond was deeper and more intense than anything he'd had with her and he had _never_ experienced even an ounce of the bond's instinct to protect its bonded like he did with Spud. It was disconcerting to realize how weak his first bond had been and for the first time he doubted if it had been entirely his fault.

Slow drowsy minutes passed, the usual haze of blood loss lifting little by little until he realized he was clinging to Ethan, draped against the bigger man's shoulder in a way that would have made him flush if he could. Shifting just enough to put some distance between them Spud peeked up at the other man, attention drawn to the speck of blood dotting Ethan's bottom lip heat blazed through him so fast he dug his nails into his palm to stop from reaching out. Swallowing dryly he firmly put aside the fact that that Ethan had to be aware of the affect he had on him, "are you feeling better now Sir?" Proud of the way his voice held steady the lazy smile Ethan turned on him ratcheted up the desire curling through his veins and he had to look away.

"Yes, I am," shaking off his thoughts Ethan turned his attention to Spud, pleased to see his bonded looked much more alert. Stretching the kinks out of his back he balled up the used bandage and tossed it unerring in the garbage, "I'll need you to bandage my head for me again tomorrow."

"Why? You're completely healed aren't you?" Scowling at Ethan's low laugh Spud tried to thump his chest, pouting when the bigger man caught his wrist he sighed in irritation. He very much disliked the feeling he was missing the obvious.

"Don't worry tiger your blood did its job," feeling a pang of guilt at how unsteadily Spud's heart thumped at the reminder Ethan quickly relented on his teasing, raising his bonded's hand he kissed his fingers in apology. "Enough people saw me leave the arena with a bandaged head so I'll need to keep up the act for a few days. It's vitally important no one finds out how quickly I heal."

Shivering at the warm press of lips Spud nodded, "of course Sir, I understand." Kicking himself for not thinking of the need to protect the Carter's secret he moved to stand, startled when his knees almost gave out he clung to the arm Ethan flung out. Breath hissing out in a low groan he blinked away the dizziness, slowly unclenching his fingers from Ethan's arm he muttered an apology.

Keeping a hand on Spud's back Ethan waved aside the apology, "it's okay tiger, you're bound to feel tired for the next few hours. I may have taken more than I should have." In fact listening closer Spud's heartbeat was still slower than it should be after almost forty minutes of recovery time. He really was going to have to be more careful from now on, no matter how easy is was to lose himself in the exquisite taste of his bonded's blood. "Why don't you take a shower and I'll order some food," he held up a hand when Spud would have protested against the need. "I don't need supernatural hearing to hear your stomach rumble." Smirking as Spud huffed but obeyed he keep half his attention on the other man's progress while he dialed the number for room service, adding a hefty bribe to ensure his order would be delivered in less than ten minutes.

Leaning back he closed his eyes and concentrated on the distant sound of the shower, mind easily conjuring the image of Spud standing under the warm water, soap sliding down his chest in a path he would follow with his tongue until Spud was shaking and barely able to stand … fingers digging into the couch the tearing fabric startled him out of his fantasy. Jumping at the sudden brisk knock on the door he cursed, forcing his fangs back and blinking to clear his vision of red he stood and opened the door. Shoving a wad of cash at the room service attendant he took the tray and kicked the door shut in the woman's surprised face, possessiveness sinking its claws in him. Usually he was able to mostly ignore it but with his bonded currently vulnerable from blood loss he wasn't about to let anyone close.

Arranging everything on the coffee table he looked up when Spud shuffled in, the still surging possessiveness melting into tender amusement at the other man's wild tangle of hair. Silently pushing the plate of thick turkey sandwiches nearer he turned the volume up on the tv, throwing a causal arm over the back of the couch he hid his smile as Spud instinctively curled closer. Soon the food was gone and Spud slumped against him, head coming to rest on his shoulder he decided not to shake the smaller man awake and send him off to bed. No, better to keep Spud close, stretching carefully he snagged a throw and spread it across them.


	50. It has 'Death' in its name

Jaw bunching in the effort of holding back his opinion Spud waited anxiously while Dixie and Ethan argued Bully's latest stunt, a direct challenge to meet in a Texas Death match at the next PPV 'if Ethan had the guts'. As he'd feared Ethan was eager to accept the match, not needing any excuse other than the chance to get his hands on Bully and apparently not at all concerned the match had the word death in it. For one hopeful moment he'd thought Dixie might object to her nephew participating in such a dangerous match, a hope that was quickly dashed by her vicious excitement at the idea of getting further payback for Bully's invasion of her home. Biting his lip hard enough to draw blood he managed to keep his mouth shut, eyes fixed on the floor as Dixie flounced out of the room to make it official, jumping when a warm hand cupped his jaw he looked up into Ethan's concerned face.

"What's wrong tiger?" Wiping away a dot of blood Ethan barely resisted the urge to kiss away the pensive frown on Spud's face, worry deepening at the his bonded's hesitantly in answering.

Swallowing thickly at the shivery feeling of Ethan's thumb stroking along his bottom lip Spud opened his mouth and blurted out his fears, "I, I don't want you to take that match against Bully, he only wants to hurt you." Searching Ethan's face his stomach sank at the flare of anger flashing through his dark eyes.

"I can handle Bully, he's nothing but a two-bit punk who's gotten too big for his shoes," clamping down on the anger at the idea Spud might think he was weak Ethan dropped his hands to the smaller man's shoulders. "You trust me don't you?" Squeezing he didn't allow his grip to tighten when Spud nodded uncertainly, "then trust I know what I'm doing okay?"

"Yes Sir," giving in even though he didn't feel anymore reassured Spud forced a smile and tried to relax as Ethan dropped an arm around his shoulders and led the way back to their locker room. Maybe things would look better after a bit a research.

In between the various errands Dixie sent him on and keeping Ethan company he found time to watch every Texas Death match he could get his hands on, hiding the activity so as to not let on how worried he still was. For a supposedly immortal being Ethan could be very sensitive to any perception of weakness.

By the time the weekend rolled around his worry was keeping him up at night and he was grateful when Ethan let slip that Dixie, Serg and the kids would be away for a few days. Determined to take advantage of the empty house he buried himself in the simple joy of cooking, preparing a meal his mother would be proud of.

Dixie's kitchen was light and spacious, the complete opposite of his apartment's tiny, cramped kitchen as you could get that he barely noticed the hours passing. Slicing into the roast, cooked to a perfect medium rare he turned to take the Yorkshire puddings out of the oven before they burned. Just like his mom had taught him they were fluffy and golden and for a moment he missed her fiercely. Closing his eyes he shoved away the momentary homesickness, heart jumping at Ethan's unexpected voice he spun around and glared at the other man's unrepentant smile.

"Sorry tiger, I didn't mean to startle you," taking in the beautifully set table and the many platters of food Ethan leaned against the island. "Something sure smells delicious," the bond swelled in fondness at Spud's shy smile and he couldn't help but tease. "Did you do all this for me?"

"I did it for me," huffing when Ethan waggled his eyebrows Spud fought back his smile, "fine, I figured after the last few weeks of dealing with Bully we could both use a home cooked meal." Taking off his apron he carried the last items to the table, watching Ethan find the bottle of wine he had chilling and pour two glasses from the corner of his eye. Dishing out a little bit of everything before siting satisfaction settled warm and deep at the sounds of enjoyment that escaped Ethan with every bite.

Savouring each mouthful Ethan finally pushed his plate away, patting his stomach, "I can honestly say this was the best meal I've had in a long time." Soaking up Spud's pleased smile he relaxed into the bond's glowing warmth, the anger at Bully that had seen the destruction of several dozen punching bag finally dissipating.

"Thank you, Sir," taking a hasty sip of his wine Spud ignored the flush spreading up his neck. "There's still dessert however," collecting the dirty dishes he laughed at Ethan's exaggerated groan, hiding his surprise when the other man got up and helped him clear the table.

"I'm don't think I could eat another thing," handing plates over for Spud to load the dishwasher his stomach dipped pleasantly as his bonded flashed a teasing grin at him. Suddenly realizing it had been a few days since he'd last fed a different kind of hunger woke up.

"There's always room for dessert Sir, I'm fairly certain there's some sort of unwritten rule on that," darting away from Ethan's teasing swat Spud opened the fridge and presented his creation of whipped cream, fruit and cake with a flourish.

Grabbing a spoon and not waiting for it to be dished up Ethan scooped up a portion, "mmm, I _love_ trifle," muffling a laugh at Spud's mutter of 'heathen' he savoured the complex burst of flavours. "Delicious," sneaking past the smaller man's attempt to block him with his own spoon he took another bite, grinning when Spud gave up and joined him in eating from the bowl.

"You are such a bad influence on me Sir, my mother would be appalled if she could see this," rolling his eyes at the way Ethan's smirk only grew bigger in response Spud smacked him on the shoulder. "Git."

"So mean tiger," rubbing his shoulder in faux pain Ethan hid a smile as Spud shook his head with an amused huff and went back to putting the last of the silverware in the dishwasher. Relenting he packed away the last of the trifle in the fridge before taking the dishcloth from Spud's hands and throwing it in the sink, "what do you say we take the rest of the wine out to the backyard and start a fire?"

Looking around at the mostly clean kitchen Spud gave into temptation, taking the bottle of wine Ethan held out, "I'd say bloody great idea Sir." Flicking the dishwasher on he followed Ethan out to the backyard, warm darkness closing in around them from the moonless night. Stumbling the further they got from the house's dim glow he gratefully accepted the other man's guiding hand, shivering as Ethan's thumb unerringly stroked across the pulse point on his wrist. Dropping down on one of the many lounge chairs when Ethan let go he waited while the other man efficiently lit a fire in the firepit, pouring them both a glass of wine in the flickering light.

Settling next to his bonded Ethan took a glass, holding it up in a toast, "to a wonderful meal." Clinking glasses he sipped his wine, the low-level craving to feed flaring higher when Spud flushed at his compliment. Carefully setting his glass to the side he wordlessly reached out and curled his fingers around Spud's thin wrist, tugging the smaller man onto his lap he smirked at his startled yelp.

Steadying himself on Ethan's shoulders Spud shivered as one large hand settled firmly on his lower back, "what are you doing Sir?" Fighting the urge to squirm he sucked in a sharp gasp as nimble fingers untied his bowtie and slipped it off.

"I think you know what I'm doing," stroking his thumb over the rapid thrum of Spud's pulse Ethan was smug at the spike in his bonded's heartbeat. Tangling his fingers into the blond silk of his hair he gently tugged Spud's head to the side, exposing the slender arch of his bonded's neck to his greedy gaze, suppressing his hunger long enough to ask, "if you don't mind of course?"

"I don't," squeaking Spud flushed, coughing to clear his throat he continued, "I don't mind at all." Closing his eyes at Ethan's low chuckle he was hard pressed to hold back a groan as those sinfully sharp teeth nipped playfully then bit down, the familiar rush of pleasure had his fingers curling into Ethan's shirt, clutching at the bigger man closer even as his world turned dark and fuzzy.

Pulling back only when he was on the verge of taking too much Ethan combed his fingers through Spud's hair, not surprised when his bonded's head dropped to his shoulder, a sleepy protest emerging when he shifted so he could lean back in the lounge chair. Rumbling soothingly he ignored the energy buzzing under his skin to nudge Spud to sleep, the bond was so open he could easily read the smaller man's exhaustion. He found it a surprisingly simple matter to put Spud's needs above his own, concentrating on how wonderful it felt to just hold his bonded close instead of how hard his dick was. Closing his eyes he allowed himself to doze off with the warmth of their bond and the fire surrounding them.


	51. Texas Death Match

Shoving his hands in his pockets Spud tried every calming technique he knew to control his fear of what Ethan might be forced to allow Bully to do to him … up to and including putting him through a table. Despite how well the weekend had gone he'd never been able to fully shake his worry of the upcoming match, only bury it under the excuse of keeping busy. After all it had been driven home to him quite firmly that neither Carter could risk letting the cameras catch even a hint they weren't normal humans.

Finished with taping his wrists Ethan watched Spud pace and mutter plans to interfere, finding his bonded's worry both touching and annoying, "I've told you not to worry tiger, Bully can't hurt me."

"It's a Texas Death Match Sir, it has the word _Death_ in it," huffing in frustration Spud crossed his arms and glared as Ethan waved dismissively, it felt like he was watching an unstoppable train headed for a bloody and messy crash.

Surprised at how genuinely upset Spud was Ethan gripped his wrist and tugged him close, smoothing his hands down the purple blazer with an indulgent smile, "this is a nice suit Spud. Joker right?"

Almost against his will the tension in his muscles eased at Ethan's admiring look, "I know what you're doing Ethan." Snorting when the bigger man only raised his eyebrows innocently Spud tried to glare, "you're trying to distract me from worrying."

"Considering you don't need to worry in the first place I trust it's working," almost absently he noted how their bond vibrated comfortingly when he was close to Spud. It was something his first one had never done and he found himself enjoying the sensation. Taking note of the time Ethan reluctantly stepped back, "I want you to keep an eye on Aunt D for me, she's become more than a little obsessed with Bully and she might take this chance to come down to confront him."

"Of course Sir," holding back a sigh as Ethan clapped him on the shoulder before leaving to head to the ring Spud vowed silently to protect Ethan from his own recklessness whether he wanted him to or not. Bully was not going to hurt any of the Carters tonight, not on his watch.

The match was painful to watch. Only minutes in and his nails were digging deep into his palms as he struggled not to run down and interfere. Dixie appeared to be busy speaking with one of the many show producers and it was only his promise that kept him in the back when Bully broke out the cheese grater, viciously dragging it across Ethan's chest. Almost vibrating in the frantic desire to do _something_ it was the exposing of the wooden boards that made up the ring's support that finally shattered his control.

Sparing only an agonized look at Dixie and praying she remained safely in the back he raced down the ramp, feeling almost sick with relief when Bully paused to glare at him, giving Ethan a few precious seconds to escape. His relief was unfortunately short lived, agony exploding through his body when Bully grabbed him by the hair and pulled him into the ring before viciously breaking a kendo stick across his back.

Dropping to his knees and struggling just to draw breath through the crippling pain, Spud watched in mute horror as Dixie run down and immediately got in Bully's face. Swearing when Bully with stunning violence knocked Dixie down and laid her out on a waiting table he grit his teeth against the pain and struggled desperately to his feet. Diving through the ropes he reached her just in time to whisk her out of the way, crouching protectively over her he watched Ethan sneak up behind Bully and shove him off the top rope to splash through the table.

Closing his eyes in relief when the bell signaled the end of the match and Ethan's win Spud abruptly remembered his duty and turned to help Dixie to her feet. By the time she was upright Ethan had joined them, taking over helping his Aunt up the ramp and even though the other man didn't look at him he could sense Ethan's disappointment blazing through their bond.

Massaging his aching chest Ethan deliberately ignored the way Spud hunched miserably once they made it to the back in favour of making sure Aunt D was okay, stomach dropping at finding her even more determined to get back at Bully after the near miss. Pinching the bridge of his noise as she bustled off already making plans on her phone he impatiently gestured for Spud to follow him back to their locker room. Slamming the door shut he tried to contain his temper as Spud uneasily moved around the room and started to pack.

"I told you to keep an eye on Aunt D, not allow her to come down to the ring and almost get put through a table," catching the stubborn expression on Spud's face Ethan growled, temper spiking he stalked towards his bonded, not stopping until he towered over the smaller man.

Straightening his back and lifting his chin Spud met Ethan's cold eyes, carefully laying his fingers against the reddened, irritated skin on the bigger man's chest he refused to back down, "Bully was hurting you Sir. I couldn't stand there and do nothing. I'm sorry your Aunt was put at risk but you know as well as I do that if she really wanted to interfere I wouldn't have been able to stop her."

Groaning Ethan closed his eyes and breathed out slowly, anger draining away at the ring of truth in Spud's words. He really should have known better, Aunt D barely listened to her mate when she truly wanted to do something. Guilt at the way he had snapped at Spud rose and he tried to smile at his bonded's anxious expression, "alright Spud, but in the future please at least try and stop her from coming face to face with Bully."

"Yes, Sir," relaxing as the prickling anger in the bond disappeared Spud bit his lip, toying with the edges of his bowtie, "I know you'll heal in time Ethan but it can't hurt to have some help." Not quite able to meet the other man's eyes he flushed with the awkwardness of offering.

Mouth instantly watering Ethan tapped Spud on the jaw so the other man would look at him, possessiveness clawing through him at the look of hunger in Spud's eyes, "you know you don't have to, right?" As much as he wanted to simply take what was offered he had only fed a few days ago.

"I know, I want to," ignoring Ethan's uncertain stare Spud pulled his bowtie off and popped open the first few buttons on his shirt, heart pounding in his chest as the bond fairly quivered in excitement. He'd never admit it out loud but the feeling of Ethan feeding from him was better than any sexual experience he'd ever had.

Cupping the back of Spud's neck, fingers sinking into the soft silk of his hair Ethan tilted the smaller man's head to the perfect angle. "Thank you tiger," rumbling he brushed his mouth over Spud's racing pulse, savouring the rush of satisfaction at being able to take his time he nibbled delicately, teasing his hunger higher. Biting finally, groaning at his bonded's low whine he wrapped his free arm around Spud's waist, cuddling the smaller man closer as he drank the hot, rich blood.

Shuddering under the bliss filling his veins Spud wrapped his arms around the bigger man's strong shoulders, burrowing into his warmth. Long drowsy minutes passed as his world got hazier, his grip on Ethan's arms failing until with a startled grumble he was swept off his feet and carried over to the couch. Blinking eyes open he didn't even remember closing he stared blurrily up at the tender expression on Ethan's face, a ball of heat lodging itself in his stomach when the other man very deliberately leaned in and licked across the stinging cuts on his neck, spreading cool relief in its wake. Whimpering when Ethan pulled away he tried to drag him back with hands too clumsy to grip properly, dimly aware he'd be embarrassed later as Ethan laughed huskily.

Breathing unsteady Ethan straightened up, once again he'd lost himself in the sheer pleasure of drinking from Spud until he'd taken too much. If not for the bonds advantages it would be days before the smaller man recovered, and even with it Spud was sluggish and drowsy, faint tremors shaking his slim frame from the blood loss. "Stay here and rest," grabbing a warm, thick blanket he tucked it securely around Spud's body. "I'm going to shower and change and then we'll grab supper." Waiting until Spud mumbled his agreement, already sliding towards sleep he snatched his duffle bag and headed for the showers, flushed with the powerful influx of blood the aches and pains from his brutal match with Bully had already healed.

Luxuriating under the warm spray Ethan took his time soaping up, Spud would be out of it for a while yet and since he had no intention of taking advantage his hand would have to do. Touching himself with the taste of his bonded's blood still on his tongue sent his pulse soaring, making it a struggle to slow down, to lighten his grip and savour the burn of pleasure. Breathing out a low groan he fumbled to sit on the bench behind him, spreading his legs and closing his eyes his skin prickled with heat as he imagined Spud's blue eyes fixed on his every move. Imagined him fumbling to slide a hand into his own pants and match his rhythm until they were both coming within seconds of each other.

Panting as his orgasm rushed over him Ethan slumped back against the cool tiles, moving only when he felt steadier he rinsed off and stepped out of the shower. Basking in the afterglow he leisurely dried off and dressed, dropping his repacked duffle silently by the door he knelt down by the couch and ran his fingers through Spud's pretty blond hair, smiling as his bonded immediately shifted and turned into his touch.

"Hmm, Sir," murmuring sleepily as gentle fingers combed through his hair Spud breathed in Ethan's familiar sandalwood cologne. "Is it time to go now?" Opening his eyes he smiled sleepily, completely unaware of how much his unguarded expression gave away.

"Yeah tiger, I think it's time I got a meal into you before you wither away," with a tender smile tugging at the corner of his lips Ethan pulled Spud upright, tucking an arm around his waist he held onto the smaller man for a long moment. Finally pressing a kiss to Spud's temple he grabbed their bags and led the way out to his private car, changing his plans to go out for supper to ordering room service when Spud stumbled even with his support.

In no time at all they were back at the hotel, a hot meal already waiting in their room thanks to some judicial bribing. Changing while Spud ate he was just in time to answer the brisk knock on the door, knowing it was his Aunt even as Spud raised a questioning eyebrow he opened the door and let her in.

"I've discovered how I'm going to completely remove MVP from power and it's all thanks to Bully," not waiting to be invited in Dixie swept past her nephew, turning to face him she smiled gleefully, "and the best part is how much he's going to hate it."

"I'm happy to hear that Aunt D," frowning over her shoulder Ethan silently gestured Spud to continue eating, not allowing his amusement to show when the smaller man stuck out his tongue before schooling his expression into one of innocence when his Aunt turned to look. "So what's the grand plan?"

"I've put together video evidence proving MVP's complete incompetence in allowing Bully to not only get away with invading my home but also putting his _hands_ on me tonight without consequence," fluffing her hair Dixie accepted Spud's admiring murmur as her due. "I've already drafted the letter to send to the board of directors. Now," casting her gaze over her nephews form she couldn't help but note he fairly glowed with health, "I also wanted to check on you darling but you seem to be fully recovered." Throwing a knowing look at Spud she was amused at Ethan's blush, while not her first choice at least her chief of staff was fulfilling his duty.

"Er, yes, thank you Aunt D, I'm fine now," he was a grown man yet his Aunt's subtle reference to the very natural act of him feeding from his bonded had him feeling like a teenager again. Rubbing his hand across the back of his neck Ethan resolutely ignored his Aunt's bright grin of amusement, not surprised to find Spud almost glowing in embarrassment.

"Well, I think I'll bid you gentlemen goodnight," patting her nephew on the shoulder Dixie let herself out of the room, Serg would be quite pleased to learn things appeared to be working out well for Ethan. Still, she knew a number of young women that would make a better candidate to share a Vessel bond with her nephew.


	52. Four is a Crowd

Hanging up the phone Dixie turned to meet Spud's hopeful expression, holding her composure for a split second before throwing her arms around him with a squeal of joy.

Straightening his bowtie when Dixie at last released him Spud raised an eyebrow, "good news I take it?" It had been a long time since he'd seen her look so happy and he prayed things were finally turning in their favour, that the board of directors had decided to punish MVP's lack of management in allowing Bully to get away his increasingly violent actions.

"The board of directors unanimously voted to remove MVP from all positions of power," snatching up her phone Dixie flashed an excited smile at Spud's heartfelt congratulations. "Thanks darling, I think this calls for a celebration. Make a reservation at my favourite restaurant would you? I need to call Serg and share the good news." Pausing for a second she called out to Spud's retreating back, "oh and make the reservation for four."

"Yes Mrs. Carter," acknowledging the order Spud turned to leave, a pleased smile tugging his lips at the idea Dixie would include him in the celebrations. Serg had been insisting he was part of the family for weeks now and for the first time he believed it was true.

Giving his hair one last glance in the mirror Spud hurried from his room. He'd barely had time to change after getting back from work and now he was almost late, something he knew Dixie _hated_, Ethan had already left to join the others, tapping on his door on the way past. Approaching the living room he froze just inside the entryway, it had taken a second to understand what Dixie was saying and he had to desperately force a neutral expression on his face.

Hearing Spud approach Dixie dropped her gaze, pretending to fiddle with the clasp of her diamond bracelet, "oh I forgot to mention I invited Vanessa out to supper with us." Hiding her satisfaction on catching Spud's wooden expression from the corner of her eye she patted Ethan's arm, smiling, "she's the daughter of a good friend of mine, I think you'll like her darling. Her family is extremely well connected." It was difficult to ignore Serg's disapproval flooding their bond and Ethan's instant scowl, but she pressed on, "now I know you hate when I try to set you up but please just give her a chance."

Despite wishing he could disappear Spud knew he had to do something when Ethan's eyes swirled with red, able to feel the other man's anger oozing through their bond. Coughing to clear the lump from his throat he stepped to Ethan's side, "the reservation is set for 7:00 so you should have no trouble making it in time." Very aware Dixie was watching his every move he used the pretense of brushing off a piece of lint to pat Ethan calmingly on the chest, meeting his gaze with a pained smile, "I hope you have a good time Sir."

Viciously clamping down on his anger and the first stirring of hurt at his Aunt's deliberate deception Ethan allowed Spud's touch to sooth his temper, only looking away when Serg started to urge his Aunt out of the room over her protests they were going to be late. Nodding gratefully at the other man's understanding smile he pulled Spud into a hug the moment they were alone, "I'm sorry tiger, I had no idea Aunt D planned to invite anyone other than you out to supper." Not at all fooled by Spud's careless shrug he nuzzled into his bonded's soft blond hair, tightening his grip before reluctantly letting go.

"It's fine Sir, at least this way you get the chance to go out on a real date," aiming for a teasing smile Spud faltered at the clear tone of jealousy in his voice, flushing at the thoughtful look on Ethan's face.

"I think you and I need to have a discussion when I get back," tipping Spud's face up Ethan wasn't too surprised at his bonded's confused frown, it had been obvious his sometimes naïve friend hadn't picked up on all of the potential aspects of their bond, despite how close they'd grown. "For now know whatever tonight is, it is not a date." Pressing a lingering kiss to the corner of Spud's mouth he smiled faintly at his bonded's surprised gasp, ordering gently, "don't forget to eat tiger."

"Yes sir," swallowing Spud shook of his daze as Ethan dropped his hand and left. Resolutely turning towards the kitchen he set aside the worry on what Ethan might want to talk about, instead taking comfort in the quiet power of their bond.

Bored out of his mind and only bothering to engage in the conversation when good manners dictated despite his Aunt's rather pointed looks Ethan struggled not to tense when Vanessa laid a hand over his. They'd barely gotten through the salad course and this was already the third time she'd infringed on his personal space and it didn't take his years of experience to know what she wanted. Luckily Serg came through for him, distracting Vanessa so he was able to extract his hand without making it obvious.

Gritting her teeth at the way the night was going Dixie feared she'd made a rather large mistake in inviting Vanessa along instead of Spud. Her nephew had a decidedly wooden expression on his face and Serg had certainly expressed his disapproval. Despite the bond they shared she just didn't want to see Ethan waste the next twenty to thirty years of his life on someone like Spud. Once the main course was finished she excused herself, repressing a sigh when Vanessa got up and followed her, the younger woman immediately gushing over how attractive Ethan was once she thought they were out of earshot.

Rolling his eyes Ethan met Serg's sympathetic gaze, "why on earth did Aunt D insist on inviting that women when she knows I have a bond to Spud, one I'm not looking to get rid of." Crossing his arms he scowled, remembering the stricken look in his bonded's eyes, "she hurt him Uncle Serg, not that he'd ever complain."

Letting out a breath Serg sat forward, "Dixie means well Ethan, she just wants the best for you and she fears that isn't Spud." He held up a hand as the younger man opened his mouth, "it's not a fear I share, I like Spud. I think he's good for you." Quirking an eyebrow at his nephews surprise he winked, "besides your mother seems quite taken with him."

Annoyed at the flush stealing across his face Ethan forced down his pleased smile, "my mother talked to you about Spud?"

"Betty was very impressed with him, she all but gushed," looking over his shoulder to make sure his wife wasn't on her way back Serg hated that he that he had to dampen Ethan's improved mood. "She also guessed Dixie might have issues with Spud, it's something I've been working on I promise, Vanessa came as a surprise to me too." Behind Ethan's irritated scowl he could see the lurking hurt, sighing he forced a smile, "listen, all I ask is you have a little more patience with your Aunt, I'll make sure there are no more blind dates."

Tapping his fingers on the table Ethan looked out over the elegant room, gaze idly passing over several outrageous outfits he knew Spud would have mocked with the wicked sense of humour he rarely displayed in front of anyone else. There'd already been a time or two during a match where he'd almost lost his composure and started laughing at Spud's snarky comments. Looking back at Serg's hopeful expression he tried to let go of his anger at his Aunt, while this stunt was more of an annoyance to him she'd hurt Spud and his other half was not feeling very charitable. Still for all his life his Aunt had always been on his side, the least he could do was to give her the time she needed. "Alright Serg but please tell her no more interference. I'm happy with Spud."

Their conversation died off as both women returned to the table and Ethan did his best to ignore the hand that immediately fell to his knee, flashing Vanessa a bland smile that had her withdrawing a second later. Once dessert was over and they could finally leave he escorted Vanessa out to a cab, politely fending off her suggestion he come home with her.

Waiting until her nephew climbed in the car Dixie twisted to look over her shoulder, apologizing at Serg's silent urging, "I'm sorry for inviting Vanessa along darling." Faltering at the disappointed look on her nephew's face she bit her lip, "I thought you'd enjoy getting to know her, she's extremely well connected in high society."

Fingers flexing against his thigh Ethan closed his eyes for a second and dipped into the comfort of his bond, for the first time he truly understood why his parents had kept trying to get him to form another one even after he'd almost died. "I know you want the best for me Aunt D but I'm bonded to Spud and I have no intention of ending it." Somewhat self-deprecatingly he added, "after all it's not like it took me over forty years to risk another bond forming or anything."

Taking a deep breath Dixie drew strength from her mate's encouraging smile, forcing herself to listen and accept Ethan's words. This wasn't about what she wanted, it had to be about what her nephew needed and apparently what he needed was her Chief of Staff. "I promise no more interference darling and especially no more blind dates," holding back her grimace it was only once Ethan relaxed that she realized how tense he'd been the whole night, driving home the fact her stunt had done more harm than good. Why couldn't Spud at least be taller.

Muttering a quick goodnight Ethan left his Aunt and Uncle behind the moment they arrived home. Hurrying towards his wing of the house he heard the low roar of explosions, easily identifying the noise from Spud's favourite movie, the one he'd refused to watch again until at least six months had passed. Grinning he silently approached the couch, the last of his tension easing on observing Spud's complete fixation on the screen, so much so the smaller man hadn't noticed him. "I see you didn't miss me too much," snickering as Spud twisted around with a startled yelp he dropped down on the couch and grabbed a handful of popcorn.

"Don't do that Ethan," willing his heartbeat to slow Spud scowled as the bigger man only smirked and tossed a handful of popcorn at him. Rolling his eyes he curled his legs under him and turned off the movie, quickly muting the volume as a late-night news program blared out. "Did you have a good time?" Sneaking a peak at Ethan's face his eyebrow rose at the other man's immediate scowl.

"I had an awful time, my 'date'," using air quotes Ethan injected all the disgust he felt into his voice, "couldn't seem to keep her hands to herself." Not hiding his revulsion he smirked at Spud's huff of displeasure, his bonded's jealously had his other half prowling closer to the surface.

Picking at a loose thread on his pants Spud fought and lost the urge to crowd closer to Ethan's side, jealousy raged under his skin and he barely kept his hands to himself. "Well I'm sure your next date will go better."

Stretching his legs out Ethan rolled his head to the side, smiling fondly as Spud inched closer again, "we really need to talk about that. Granted the book only hinted at it but I would have expected you to pick up on it by now."

"I don't understand, what did I miss?" Frowning Spud looked up, teeth digging into his lip he tried to remember anything the book had said concerning dating. The other man's expression gave nothing away and his mind flashed to the worst case scenario, icy tipped claws sinking in at the thought Ethan might be preparing to tell him he had to end their bond so he could go back to dating properly.

Alarmed at the cold spike through their bond Ethan curled his hand around Spud's wrist, worry rising at how fast the smaller man's pulse was racing, "hey now tiger, what are you thinking?" Frowning he wrapped his arm around Spud's shoulders and tugged until his bonded was sprawled against his chest.

Relaxing at the slow, firm strokes down his back Spud closed his eyes, forcing himself to speak past the lump in his throat, "so you don't want to end our bond then?"

"God no," recoiling at the very idea Ethan tipped Spud's face up, meeting fearful blue eyes he pushed reassurance through their bond, "I very much enjoy being bonded to you tiger." Tightening his grip he cursed his Aunt for her part in putting that notion in Spud's head. "Bonds are very important, so important in fact they tend to eclipse all other relationships."

"I ... I'm not sure what you're telling me," pulse leaping at Ethan's slow smile, expression so tender he hardly dared breathe Spud was helpless to resist the wave of longing from flooding their bond.

"You _were_ jealous I was on a date weren't you?" Slowly and deliberately Ethan dragged his thumb under the curve of Spud's bottom lip in a gesture that was unmistakably sensual. Vision immediately swimming red at Spud's low gasp it was the way the smaller man instinctively tried to press closer that had his control wavering.

Twisting his fingers in Ethan's shirt Spud tried to keep his voice steady, "yes," it was strangely freeing to admit to the emotion that had held him captive all evening. Eyes falling shut he shuddered as Ethan petted across the nerve damaged section of his lip, the sensation all the more magnified along the areas that could still feel that he didn't care how much he was giving away, anything to keep Ethan's hands on his skin. "I wanted to find her and rip her away from you," not even trying to hide the possessiveness flaring out into their bond his eyes snapped open at Ethan's satisfied growl.

"That's partly the bond's influence," gaze hungrily tracing along the path his thumb had taken Ethan didn't fight his emerging fangs as Spud's lips parted. "It is an essential link between us, only the mating bond can supersede it."

"Vessel Bonds can form between those in frequent contact and rarely will it allow for a disturbance in that status quo." Quoting the book Spud swallowed as Ethan's hand curled around the back of his neck, the lick of heat curling up his spine left him breathless, "are you telling me I'll always feel this way when you go out on a date?"

"No, I'm telling you I won't ever allow you to date anyone but me," watching surprised wonder bloom across Spud's face Ethan struggled against the almost overwhelming desire to kiss his bonded and carry him off to bed. Still he'd learned the hard way to listen to his instincts and every single one of them was telling him the time wasn't right yet. Taking a deep breath he raised Spud's hand and kissed his fingers, smiling reassuringly at the other man's shaky exhale, "I'm also telling you I have no intention of dating anyone else but you either."

Mouth dropping open Spud stared at the serious expression on Ethan's face, the bond glowing at the promise in the other man's words. Suddenly he wanted Ethan fiercely, "are you sure Sir? Your Aunt doesn't want you to …"

Chuckling Ethan picked up the thread of thought Spud had left unfinished, "barely wants me to be friends with you let alone have … date you?" He changed his choice of words at the last second, taking pity on Spud's increasingly vivid blush. "I made the mistake of not taking my first bond seriously or giving it the attention it deserved. Not that it was completely my fault, Sophia …" grinding to a halt it was only the comforting touch of his bonded that dragged him out of the spiraling darkness of his memories.

"It's okay Sir, you don't need to talk about it," shifting to brush his fingers through the dark silk of Ethan's hair Spud shoved aside his hatred of whoever had caused the pain in Ethan's voice.

Huffing out a faint laugh Ethan relaxed into the touch, "you aren't curious about what happened? Why you're only the second person I've ever formed a bond with?" Catching Spud's wrist he pressed a series of slow kisses along the delicate skin, giving into temptation he flicked his tongue out to taste the pulse still beating enticingly fast, bad memories fading at Spud's muted groan.

"Yes," breathlessly Spud shivered as sharp fangs nipped teasingly before sinking in, with familiar bliss rippling through his body the idea Ethan might actually want him didn't seem quite so impossible. Tangling his free hand into Ethan's shirt he forced himself to speak through the dizzying pleasure, "of course I'm curious but I can wait until when or if you feel like telling me." Sighing in disappointment when Ethan pulled back he couldn't bring himself to be annoyed at the other man's smugness, obeying the gentle tug he settled against Ethan's firm chest.

"Someday tiger," voice rough Ethan leaned back against the couch, it was both a vow and a promise and he felt a touch of peace at the contentment streaming through the bond. Sliding a hand under Spud's shirt his fingers ghosted along bare skin, his bonded was warm in his arms and so clearly enjoying his touch that in this moment he didn't need anything more. It had been always only ever been a matter of time before they took the step from friends to lovers and he'd allow nothing to spoil this, certainly not his own impatience.


	53. Following Orders

Following Mrs. Carter down to the ring, determinedly ignoring the raucous crowd Spud was grateful to have been kept busy with a seemingly endless task of jobs these last few days. It had given him some needed time away from Ethan to fully process the idea his friend wanted him in a way he never dared would be reciprocated. Of course the fact his boss disapproved of her nephew getting even more involved with him didn't help, nor the truly chilling thought of how he'd explain this to his parents. Growing up his father had made it abundantly clear homosexuality was not something that happened in his family.

Carefully pouring a glass of champagne from the elaborate setup Dixie had insisted upon for her triumphant ousting of MVP Spud was only half paying attention to the board's lackey, missing the first sign things were going downhill. It was Dixie's screech of outrage when Kurt Angle was named as director of wrestling operations that alerted him and he was quick to move into damage control, grabbing her arm after she'd tossed her glass of champagne in the lawyer's face but before she could scratch his eyes out. Holding onto his boss as the other man scrambled from the ring he murmured whatever encouraging words he could think of, biting off a vicious curse when Bully's music hit. Red slid through Dixie's eyes for a split second and he had no shame about admitting it was a thousand times creepier than when it happened to Ethan.

Backing Dixie into the corner Spud stood in front of her, holding firm in defense even as Bully climbed into the ring, gaze flickering for only a second to Tommy Dreamer who had followed along behind his long-time friend.

"I suggest you move Spud before I have to put you through yet another table," refusing to be intimidated by Bully's cold smirk Spud only raised his chin and extended his middle finger. "Ah well, I'd kinda hoped you wouldn't, much more satisfying to put you both through a table. Poor precious Ethan will be so upset," glaring at the mocking innuendo in Bully's voice he was on the verge of attacking first just to buy Dixie enough believable time to slip out to safety when Ethan's music blared through the arena, the bigger man running down the ramp almost too quickly.

Seizing the opportunity once Bully's attention shifted away from them Spud silently gestured Dixie out of the ring, following her up the ramp he had just enough time to throw an agonized look back towards the ring before they were through the curtain. Ethan was holding his own but he knew it was only a matter of time before he'd have to allow the other two to get the best of him.

"Come on Spud, Ethan can take of himself," usually quick to obey Dixie's orders Spud hesitated long enough to earn a scowl before giving in, becoming more and more worried when it became clear they were headed for the exit.

Scrambling to hold the door open as Dixie pointedly waited he risked offering the only objection he thought might work, "shouldn't we wait for Ethan Mrs. Carter."

"My nephew will be fine, something you'd know if you truly understood his abilities," unable to resist the small dig Dixie held Spud's eyes until he gave in with an almost soundless huff of irritation. There was a small part of her that was impressed at Spud's loyalty to Ethan but after the disaster of the blind date incident it was mostly swamped by the knowledge she'd soon be fending off questions from her various socialite friends on why her nephew was dating a man.

Digging his nails into his palms Spud bit back the response he wanted to make, he'd do his duty and escort Dixie back to the hotel to make sure she was safe but the instant he was free he fully intended to head back to the arena. Ethan might be able to protect himself but that didn't mean he wouldn't do everything he could to help him.

By the time Dixie was settled more than half the show had passed and his phone had blown up with texts from Ethan demanding to know where he was. It was when the texts abruptly stopped that he truly started to worry, hurrying back to the arena he almost expected the news that Ethan had been viciously assaulted. Quickly making his way through the still crowded hallways he hesitated outside Ethan's locker room, stomach churning uneasily as he pushed the door open, "Sir?" Venturing into the room he yelped when a rough hand grabbed his shoulder and shoved him into the wall.

"Where have you been? I've been trying to get a hold of you all night," growling Ethan shifted his grip to Spud's biceps, the anger at being abandoned by his bonded bubbled over and he pushed the smaller man further into the wall.

"I'm sorry Sir," smoothing his fingers over Ethan's chest Spud tried not to let on how much the grip on his arms hurt. Not when the bigger man's eyes were completely red and the bond was prickly with anger. "Your Aunt ordered me to escort her to the hotel, I came back as soon as I was free," wincing when Ethan shifted his weight a hiss of pain finally escaped.

Swearing Ethan pulled back, abrupt awareness of how tightly he'd been holding Spud flickering through the anger. Shoving his hands into his pockets he turned away from the pain in those blue eyes, with guilt fighting the anger still flooding his body his voice came out sharper than he intended, "is the car service still here?"

"Yes Sir, it's waiting for whenever you want to leave," rubbing his arms Spud stepped as close as he dared, the tenseness radiating from the other man warned him it might be wise to keep his head down and do as told. So he didn't bother to complain when Ethan only nodded brusquely and gestured for him to collect their bags, the ride back to the hotel was equally as silent as his earlier trip with Dixie and almost as uncomfortable. Still once they gained the privacy of their suite he was quick to suggest Ethan take a hot shower while he ordered them some room service, a suggestion the bigger man took with minimal argument.

Bracing his arms against the cool tiles Ethan groaned as the hot water worked its magic in easing several painful knots. Closing his eyes he emptied his mind from everything other than the blissful relief, staying under the powerful spray until the water ran cold. Drying off and dressing in a pair of jogging pants his nose twitched at the delicious aroma coming from the living room, stomach rumbling with hunger.

Strolling into the living room he didn't let the dismay at the way Spud wouldn't meet his eyes show, now that he'd had the chance to calm down shame was setting in. His temper had always been his greatest weakness, a trait he'd inherited from his Aunt. Taking a seat at the table he concentrated on eating, carefully drawing his bonded into an undemanding conversation until the other man relaxed, even laughing at his jokes.

Pouring a last cup of coffee Ethan moved over to the couch, patting the spot next to him he hummed in contentment when Spud sat with barely any hesitation. Capturing his bonded's hand he traced random patterns over his palm, smiling when Spud shivered he pressed a kiss to his temple, murmuring, "I'm sorry if I hurt you earlier."

"It's okay Sir, I understand. You were angry and upset," eyes drawn to the gentle way Ethan ran his fingers over and across his hand Spud breathed out the last of his tension.

"I was but that's not an excuse. I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you," tugging until Spud leaned into him Ethan slung an arm around his bonded's slim waist, bond purring when there was no hint of lingering fear. "I know you had no choice in obeying Aunt D, it was wrong of me to put that blame on you."

Lips quirking into an impish smile Spud spread his hand over Ethan's chest, allowing himself the luxury of grazing the tips of his fingers along the other man's collar bone, "I almost didn't obey but I knew you'd want me to make sure she was safe. I hated leaving you and then to come back and hear you were hurt … well, I wanted to rip apart everyone who'd dared touch you." Impulsively sliding onto Ethan's lap he gently stroked over the faintest smudge of a bruise, lifting his gaze to meet the warm desire in Ethan's dark eyes. "Do you need to feed?"

Groaning at the innocent offer Ethan touched Spud's jaw, nosing along the slender length of his neck he inhaled the delicious scent that had lost none of its appeal even though Spud was now his. Kissing down to the rapid thrum of Spud's pulse he smirked as thin fingers slid into his hair and tugged demandingly, the familiar wave of possessiveness settling in at the evidence of how much his bonded enjoyed being fed from. Sinking his fangs in he drank deeply, the remaining aches disappearing in the blazing wake of powerful blood. A rumbling growl escaped when the hand in his hair fell to his stomach, muscles twitching under the lazy caresses he matched action to action and slid his hand under Spud's t-shirt, exploring eagerly to the enchanting hitch in his bonded's breathing.

Groaning when Spud squirmed to get closer Ethan dropped his hands to the smaller man's thighs, his bonded's erection pressed hot and insistent against his stomach that it was all he could do to hang onto his self-control. Reluctantly pulling back his fingers tightened as blue eyes blinked open and looked at him with such want, "god I want you so much." The husky confession was pulled from him and he found Spud's pleased delight utterly enchanting.

Rocking forward Spud drank in the way Ethan shuddered, the hands on his thighs flexing with such careful strength it made him want more … licking his lips he whined at the way Ethan's gaze immediately dipped to his mouth, holding his breath in the hope the bigger man would follow through on the inherent promise of his words. "Ethan, please …" groaning when the other man abruptly stood his protest was lost under the wave of dizziness that killed his erection.

"Shhh, just relax," voice a low rumble Ethan carried Spud to his room, locking down his lust with iron control. As much as he wanted Spud he refused to allow their first kiss to be when his bonded was half out of it and his mouth tasted of blood. "It's been a long day and I think we both need our sleep."

Grumbling at the note of finality in Ethan's voice Spud pressed his forehead against the other man's shoulder, taking the opportunity to kiss the smooth skin under his lips, "maybe we need to hire someone so Bully and his friends don't out number us." Stifling a yawn he'd meant it mostly as a joke but from the way Ethan paused he knew it had surprised the other man.

"That's not a bad idea," tugging the comforter out of the way Ethan eased Spud down on the bed, tucking him in he firmly stomped on the almost overwhelming urge to join his bonded. A decision made all the more difficult by Spud's disappointed sigh when he let go. Resolutely taking a step back he used a fraction of power to ease Spud into a restful sleep, leaving the door open he kept most of his attention on listening to his bonded's slowly improving heart rate while the rest of his mind mulled over who to hire. Spud's idea may have been only half serious but it was a good one and he was thankful for the distraction it provided.


	54. Gore

Watching anxiously from ringside Spud resisted the urge to bite his fingernails, it was an old habit that showed up when he was stressed and watching Ethan and Bully fight in the middle of the ring was certainly stressful. Even with a plan in place he winced every time Bully landed a blow, from his angle it was obvious how hard those blows were, Bully clearly aiming to cause damage.

Dropping his hand he breathed out slowly when Ethan caught his eye and sent a calming surge through their bond, reminding himself that despite what it looked like Ethan wasn't truly being hurt. Still, waiting for the cue to set their plan in action had his nerves stretched so tight that when he finally spotted his chance he almost leapt into the ring. Steadying himself enough to sneak up behind Bully, who had Ethan cornered against a ring post he used his rage at the sight of him raining blow after blow on Ethan's unprotected head to power his kick to the balls.

Stepping back when Bully dropped to the ground, in too much pain to even groan he snagged the ref by the arm, pushing him forward to count Ethan's cover of the helpless man. The crowd's sudden surge of excited cheering alerted him to what was happening and he turned to face the ramp, backing up to the corner Ethan had just been trapped in as the intimidating figure of Rhyno ran down and slid into the ring, holding his hands up in a vain gesture to fend him off as he checked on Bully.

Rolling out of the ring at the last second Ethan held his breath as Spud's soft pleas reached his ears, seemingly terrified as Rhyno helped Bully to his feet. The crowd heckled him viciously when he turned away, biting his lip to suppress the grin that wanted to break free when Rhyno abruptly turned and laid Bully out with a vicious gore. Taking in the scene with smug satisfaction he joined the other two in the ring, the confused roar of the crowd music to his ears as he gestured Rhyno to grab a table. Crooking a finger, pleased when Spud immediately came to his side he watched in extreme satisfaction as his new bodyguard drove Bully through the table so viciously even he had a momentary pang of sympathy.

Flushed with excitement at the success of the plan that had only come together at the last moment Spud couldn't resist throwing his arms around Ethan, ever so briefly running his fingers through his dark curls to check for damage he flushed at Ethan's husky laugh.

"I'm fine tiger," lingering in the embrace a fraction longer than convention allowed Ethan stroked his fingers across a sliver of bare skin from where the smaller man's shirt had become untucked before letting go. Forcing the red out of his eyes at Spud's low gasp he rounded up Rhyno and led the way up the ramp, ignoring Bully's groggy curses he draped an arm over Spud's shoulders once they made it past the curtain.

"Good job Rhyno, you can expect a bonus for pulling off the plan even better than I'd hoped for," clapping the larger man on the back Ethan pulled Spud a fraction closer when Rhyno's expressionless gaze roamed over them. Fighting the sudden instinct to publicly claim Spud he didn't let his smile falter when his bonded chimed in, artless admiration clear in his voice.

"Yes, thank you Rhyno, maybe now Bully will finally give up," biting his lip as Ethan's arm tightened around his shoulders Spud darted a look up at the other man, uncertain how to read the liquid fast disturbance in the bond.

Shrugging off the praise Rhyno carefully kept his expression neutral, not letting a hint of his amusement at Ethan's posturing show, "I expect Bully will need a few more demonstrations before he gives up."

"Which we will provide," smiling perfunctorily Ethan nudged Spud to start moving, "and now I'm afraid we have to go. Thank you again Rhyno, we'll see you next week."

Twisting around to wave Spud fought a smile as Ethan's hand settled low and firm on his back, reassuring in a way he couldn't quite put in words, especially since the hallways were still crowded and more than one person had given them a second look. The second the locker room door was closed he crossed his arms and looked at Ethan pointedly, "I want to take a look at your head, Bully was bloody careless with his punches." He wasn't surprised by the other man's eyeroll, well used to Ethan not taking anything about his health seriously.

"I'm fine," even while reassuring Ethan nonetheless gave into Spud's urging, sitting on the couch and closing his eyes as thin fingers weaved gently through his hair, clearly searching for any sore spots. Breathing in his bonded's scent he leaned forward, pressing his forehead against Spud's chest he wrapped his arms around the other man's slim waist as those searching fingers slowly changed to petting strokes. "Will you go out with me?" Tipping his head back he smiled at the pleased surprise flashing across Spud's face.

"Do you mean on a date?" Giving up on checking for non-existent wounds Spud swallowed at the slow smile curving Ethan's lips. A flood of heat pooled in his stomach so quickly he wanted nothing more than to lean down the scant distance separating them to kiss that tempting mouth that he almost missed his reply.

"I absolutely mean on a date," turning his head Ethan pressed a kiss to Spud's wrist, nipping playfully at his bonded's shuddering gasp. "I have the perfect restaurant in mind as a matter of fact."

Muffling a groan at the teasing prick of teeth Spud dug his fingers into Ethan's shoulders, breathing through the surge of lust as the bigger man's muscles bunched under his touch. Taking a moment to steady his voice he met Ethan's red eyes, "I'd love to Sir."

Letting go was a struggle with Spud's pulse racing so enticing but Ethan forced himself to release his grip, "excellent, then let's check in with Aunt D and get out of here. The sooner we get back to Nashville the sooner we can go out on our date." Not that he'd tell Aunt D why he wanted to leave early, she may have promised not to set him up on any more dates but he wasn't naïve enough to believe she had fully endorsed his bond with Spud yet. Standing he shelved that particular issue in order to quickly shower and dress, time enough to deal with his Aunt's hang-ups when he didn't have a gorgeous blond to finally take on a real date.


	55. First Date

From the moment he'd woken up Spud found himself anticipating to his date with Ethan, unable to shake the feeling that tonight things were going to change for them. As much he enjoyed the feedings sometimes he thought if he didn't get to truly _touch_ Ethan he'd explode. It was only after the third time Dixie snapped at him for not paying attention to his job that he took his head out of the clouds and concentrated on getting through the day.

Day finally over he hurried home, jumping in the shower he luxuriated under the hot spray until the nervous tension drawing his muscles tight eased. Standing in front of his closet he discarded suit after suit for being too colourful, Ethan had always seemed to enjoy his fashion choices but for this first date he wanted to wear something … subdued. Hand landing on the only black suit he owned some instinct had him pairing it with black shirt the exact same shade and digging out a black tie he'd bought and then never worn. Put together the contrast with his hair was rather striking and he fought off the sudden nerves Ethan wouldn't like it at the soft knock on his door.

Straightening his spine Spud threw the door open, eyes widening at the sight of Ethan dressed in a sharp blue suit it was his pink dress shirt that sent his pulse racing, meeting red-tinged eyes he didn't try and hide his appreciation, "you look bloody amazing Sir."

"You're not so bad yourself tiger," smoothing his fingers down the length of Spud's tie Ethan couldn't keep his desire from leaking into the bond. Usually so colourful the impact of seeing Spud in all black had his hunger roaring to the surface and he knew based on the his bonded's rising blush that Spud was well aware of the affect he'd had on him. Controlling his hunger with the ease of long practice he offered his arm, "may I escort you to the awaiting chariot?"

Laughing at Ethan's pompous tone Spud tucked his hand in the crook of his arm, "you may my good Sir." Grateful not to encounter anyone on the way out of the house he slid into the backseat of the waiting car, shivering when Ethan caught his hand and pressed a feather light kiss to his wrist. Sharp fangs nipped all too briefly and he had to clear his throat, "so where are we going anyway?"

"Hmm, I thought it might be nice to correct the truly awful experience I had during my so called 'blind date' and return to the same restaurant," rubbing his thumb over Spud's wrist Ethan caught the uncertainly flashing across his face, sending a burst of reassurance through their bond. "Only this time you'll be by my side as you should have been the first time."

Turning his head and biting his lip until he had his smile under control Spud glanced down at their joined hands, "I didn't know you were such a romantic Ethan."

"Only for you tiger," turning Spud's teasing back on him Ethan grinned at the way he flushed dully. Tempted to drag the smaller man into a kiss and see how much he could make the blush deepen he didn't know whether to be disappointed or not when they pulled up in front of the restaurant. Claiming Spud's hand again the instant they were out of the car as if it was the most natural thing in the world he led the way in, making a note to give their waiter a big tip when he showed them to a cozily intimate table off in its own corner.

Looking around at his luxurious surroundings Spud willed his blush to go away, the low-level arousal that had started at his first sight of Ethan and grown with every teasing comment blazed to life at Ethan publicly making it obvious they were on a date. "This is a lovely restaurant Sir, I'm not surprised it is your Aunt's favourite."

"Aunt D does know how to pick them," nodding agreeably Ethan scanned the wine list, ordering the most expensive bottle when their waiter attentively approached. Reaching out and capturing Spud's hand again he smiled charmingly, "thank you for agreeing to come with me."

"You're my best friend Sir, there's nowhere I wouldn't go with you," breathless Spud refused to be embarrassed by the sappy sentiment, even as the swirl of red flashing through Ethan's eyes had him wishing they were somewhere more private.

"You're my best friend as well tiger," clamping down on the satisfied growl that wanted to break free Ethan sat back before he ended up dragging the smaller man onto his lap. Gesturing the waiter to approach he busied himself with ordering, allowing the conversation to turn to more general topics. By the time their meal was finished he felt in control enough to stand and offer his hand, "may I have this dance?"

Startled by the offer Spud set his wine glass down and looked over at the dance floor, every single couple out there dancing was of the opposite sex, "I don't think we'd fit in Sir."

"Let them be offended," curling his hand around Spud's wrist Ethan drew him up, pleased when his bonded offered no more protests he led him out to the dance floor. Tugging the smaller man into his arms he ignored the stares they were attracting, "after all, you should at least have one memory of dancing with me, lush that you are."

Half groaning in laughter Spud thumped Ethan's shoulder, "I am not a lush you git." Sighing when the arm around his waist only tightened he gave in and slid his arms around Ethan's neck, leaning against the bigger man's strong chest as they swayed in slow circles to the music.

Humming Ethan nuzzled into Spud's soft blond hair, breathing in the electric sweet scent that still had the power to raise his bloodlust in an instant, "yet you seem not to remember our nights together a lot." Grunting he laughed lowly when Spud smacked him again, he didn't think teasing his bonded would ever grow old.

Losing track of time it was only their waiter's polite cough that made him realize how late it was, reluctantly stepping back his lips quirked at Spud's disappointed sigh. The bill was waiting at the table and leaving a wad of cash more than enough to cover the cost he smiled as Spud was the one to take his hand this time, looking anywhere but at him directly he felt a melting flood of tenderness sweep through him.

The drive back home was thankfully short and soon he was walking Spud to his room, pausing outside the door Ethan eyed the way his bonded shifted nervously. The bond was rippling in uncertainly and he gently tipped Spud's face up, meeting his gaze with a soft smile, "I had a really good time tonight."

"Better than your blind date?" Question slipping out Spud froze, startled at the jealousy in his tone he watched red swirl through Ethan's eyes. Shivering as warm fingers slid along his jaw he fought back a whine when Ethan leaned down with obvious intent, able to taste the hint of expensive wine on the bigger man's breath.

"Much better," pausing for a teasing second as the bond flared with anticipation Ethan bridged the last inch separating them and finally kissed the mouth that had tempted him for months. Groaning at the way Spud's lips parted so sweetly for him he deepened the kiss without thinking, heart threatening to pound out of his chest at his first true taste of the other man.

Grabbing Ethan's shoulders to stay on his feet under the dizzying blaze of hunger Spud ripped his mouth away in order to breathe. Panting he whined at the other man's growl, losing all reason when Ethan pressed him up against the wall, one large hand fell to his hip and he gave into the silent urging to wrap his legs around the other man's waist. Lust short-circuited his mind as Ethan's erection ground into his own and swearing he tugged the other man's mouth back to his, the wicked scrape of sharp fangs the only thing grounding him to reality.

The bond prickled warningly and Ethan fought through the haze of desire, threads of cold reason whispering Spud wasn't ready for this despite the evidence pressed so gloriously against him. Leaning his head against Spud's he forced the words out, "fuck baby, we have to stop," digging his fingers into Spud's hips he stilled his thrusts with iron willpower, his bonded's helpless whine of protest almost shattering his control.

Moaning at the loss of warmth as Ethan pulled away Spud felt a trickle a reason slowly return, dropping unsteadily to his own legs he flushed in embarrassment as he met Ethan's red eyes. Opening his mouth to say something, apologize or laugh his reaction off he stilled, sighing as warm fingers once again cupped his jaw and drew him into a gentle kiss. "Ethan," the name escaped in a bare whisper and he could feel Ethan's lips curve into a smile.

"I want you baby, I don't want you to doubt that," feathering kisses along Spud's jaw, enjoying the slight rasp of stubble Ethan blanketed their bond with his own desire even as he smothered the flaring fire. Lifting his head he dropped his hands to the smaller man's shoulders, squeezing when Spud nodded uncertainly, "we have all the time in the world tiger, I don't want to rush past courting you, stealing kisses when no one is looking just because I couldn't wait to take you to bed."

Clearing his throat Spud smiled, chest tight with affection, "romantic." Ethan's low laugh had him standing on tiptoe to kiss him again, reveling in the freedom to do so. "I guess this is good night then," stealing another kiss, then another he grinned at the way Ethan's hand dropped to his back to try and pull him closer. "Good night, Sir." Disengaging completely he closed the door on Ethan' soft smile and muttered good night, happiness bubbling through him. Tonight had been perfect and despite the lingering disappointment at going to bed alone he wouldn't change a single thing.


	56. Romance and Stealing Kisses

Packing for the next event Spud hid a smile as Ethan wondered around his room, clearly bored but still keeping him company. Only a few days past their first 'date' and he still flushed at the memory of the kisses they'd shared, Ethan had kept his promise of stealing kisses every chance he got, each contact teasing and light and always leaving him wanting more. Shifting uncomfortably he sought for a distraction, "hiring Rhyno certainly made your Aunt happy Sir." Looking away from the temptation to forget packing and steal his own kisses he didn't see the way Ethan's eyes narrowed at his enthusiastic tone.

Tossing his phone aside with an irritated growl Ethan wandered towards the window, shoving the curtains aside to glare out at the pouring rain, "well he certainly better continue to be useful, I'm paying him enough."

"Is everything okay Sir? Weren't you pleased with Rhyno?" Picking up on the tension in the room Spud frowned, turning to stare at Ethan's rigid back.

"I think you're pleased enough for the two of us," gripping the edges of the windowsill until the wood creaked in protest Ethan stiffened when a warm hand touched his back.

Despite his best efforts Spud was unable to keep his amusement completely out of his voice, "are you jealous?" He could feel the low rumbling growl though Ethan's back and instinctively pressed closer.

"Don't be ridiculous I have no reason to be jealous of Rhyno." Wincing at how defensive he sounded Ethan closed his eyes, breathing out slowly when Spud slid his arms around his waist. Wrapping his hand around one thin wrist he relaxed as Spud hugged him tighter.

"Of course you don't Sir," pressing his face into the middle of Ethan's back Spud relished in the feeling of solid muscles, shivering at the slow stroke across his wrist he couldn't resist continuing, "you're a hundred times the man Rhyno is."

Breaking Spud's grip easily Ethan spun around and pressed the smaller man up against the wall, his playful side raising up to replace the previous jealous frustration at the husky statement. "Only a hundred times baby?" Expertly undoing Spud's bowtie and the first buttons of his shirt he nuzzled into the curve of his neck, grinning smugly at the resulting whine and the hands that tried to pull him closer.

"Hmm, a hundred and one maybe," shuddering when Ethan nipped in retaliation Spud laughed and breathlessly amended his statement, "okay a thousand then." He'd be embarrassed at the eager moan that slipped out when Ethan bit deeply later … much later, when spine tingling pleasure wasn't short-circuiting his mind.

After the first mouthful Ethan forced himself to drink slower, he had no intention of taking too much this time. Concentrating on how perfect Spud felt in his arms and not the taste of his blood he growled in approval when a hand slid under his shirt, blunt nails digging into his back. Unbidden the memory of how Sophia used to lay stiff in his arms as if letting him drink was a horrific ordeal to get through flashed through his mind. It was an impression that had persistently stayed with him throughout the years, only now was it slowly being overwritten by the continued enthusiasm of Spud's reactions.

Pulling away and sealing the wounds Ethan grinned smugly at Spud's disappointed whine, "I guess a thousand times is acceptable." Meeting the dazed and hungry look in Spud's blue eyes he breathed through the desire to strip his bonded naked and spread him out on the bed. With the recent change to their relationship it was getting harder and harder to resist the attraction between them.

"Ethan," voice cracking Spud spread his hands against Ethan's back, a whimper breaking free when the bigger man shifted and pressed against an erection he was only now aware of. Liquid fire flashed through the bond and he dropped his eyes in shame, muttering a hasty, "sorry Sir."

"Hey now," frowning Ethan griped Spud's jaw and forced him to look up, dipping in to press a series of light kisses against his mouth until his bonded sighed and relaxed. "Sorry for what baby?"

"For … for enjoying when you …" stumbling over the words Spud scowled as Ethan's concern slowly melted into a conceited smirk. Glaring he thumped his fist on the other man's arm, "you're such a jerk Ethan."

Grasping Spud's hand Ethan placed it over his racing heart, "I very much enjoy the way you react to me," rumbling he lightly touched the lush fullness of Spud's bottom lip, drinking in his bonded's shaky inhale, "and the feeling is very much mutual."

Jerking his gaze up Spud swallowed dryly at Ethan's knowing smirk, the arousal that had just started to fade flaring up stronger than ever, "ohh, I … I didn't know that." Biting his lip he slid a hand along Ethan's tie and boldly tugged him towards the bed, "we do have a little more time to kill before our flight Sir." Peering up through his eye lashes his heart raced at Ethan's tender smile.

Humming his approval Ethan leaned down, kissing the corner of Spud's mouth he grinned at his pleased sigh, "we do indeed." A growl broke free when Spud crawled onto the bed and tugged demandingly on his tie, obeying the silent command he carefully blanketed the smaller man with his body, propping most of his weight on his elbows he searched Spud's face for any sign of discomfort. On finding only warm excitement he gently brushed a kiss over Spud's mouth, light and teasing until his bonded finally groaned and rocked up into his restraining body.

"Ethan, please!" Squirming as curious fingers swept under his shirt Spud tried to bite back a whimper as Ethan's hand roamed across his stomach with such possessiveness it made the fire in his veins blaze higher. Panting he wound his fingers into Ethan's hair, capturing that teasing mouth he licked over sharp teeth that still carried the faint taste of copper.

A knock on the door sent them bolting apart and Ethan cursed at the sound of his Aunt's voice, shaded with a dose of impatience. "Are you ready Ethan? The car is here to take us to the airport." Mourning the loss of contact he watched Spud fix his shirt and smooth his expression into one of professionalism with more than a little twinge of disappointment.

Sighing and rolling off the bed Ethan straightened his own clothes, "I guess we didn't have that much time after all." Stealing one last kiss at his bond's amused huff he had to push aside the temptation to tell his Aunt to go on without them, "let's go finally set this thing with Bully to rest."


	57. Battle Royale

Biting back a scowl Ethan forced his expression to stay neutral when every bone in his body wanted to rip Rhyno away from Spud and claim the smaller man as his. Nails digging into his palms he watched his newest hire casually lean into Spud's personal space, cracking a joke that had his bonded laughing, the warm, bright laugh that had the power to draw so many people to his side. Coughing to disguise a growl he strode forward and clasped his hand on the back of Spud's neck, pulling the smaller man to his side in an unmistakable sign of possession. A sign Rhyno received loud and clear by the surprised arch of his eyebrow.

"Good work tonight Rhyno, you made Dreamer think twice about coming to Bully's aid." Smiling sharply Ethan tightened his grip when Spud tried to shift away, squeezing warningly at his low annoyed huff. "Why don't you go get something to eat at catering before the battle royale. Aunt D informed me she had cheesecake from an amazing little bakery in Nashville specially flown in."

Glancing between both men, Spud slowly flushing and Ethan clearly on edge Rhyno shrugged easily, "sure thing boss." He wasn't paid enough to get involved, even though he found it fascinating that a man like Ethan Carter, quintessentially rich and entitled would have formed an attachment to someone like Spud. As much as he liked the small brit there was no denying they were an odd pairing, rumour had it that Ethan was just using Spud but there was no way Carter's little show of dominance had been anything other than genuine.

Elbowing Ethan in the ribs once the door closed Spud twisted out of the restraining grip on his neck, brow furrowing at the glower of the other man's face, "what was that about?"

"I don't like how interested he is in you," crossing his arms Ethan scowled at the spot where Rhyno had stood, he'd never really cared enough about another person to be jealous and he quickly decided he hated the feeling.

Laughing Spud arched his eyebrows in faint disbelief, "you can't actually jealous can you?"

"Do I have a reason to be jealous?" The red creeping across Ethan's eyes had him swiftly approaching the bigger man's stiff form. Linking his hands around his neck Spud couldn't stop his bright smile when Ethan automatically uncrossed his arms to give him room, a large hand dropping to rest low and comforting against his spine.

"No Sir, there'll never be anyone but you," tracing a path along Ethan's handsome features, the delicate arch of a cheekbone and the smooth curve of his jaw Spud met the now full blown red eyes. Throwing his certainty and adoration into the bond he grinned rather smugly as Ethan relaxed under his hands.

"Good answer," voice dim to his own ears Ethan shuddered under the longing to strip Spud naked and fuck him so thoroughly there would never be any doubts on who he belonged to. The bond was singing between them and Spud's eyes were such a deep vibrant shade of blue he was kissing him before he even knew he was going to move, the contact flaring rapidly out of control as Spud hummed and pressed closer. Growling he nipped on his bonded's bottom lip, sucking in a ragged breath at the hand that tugged sharply on his hair he yanked Spud's shirt out of his pants, stroking his fingers across bare skin.

A loud knock and a polite voice offering a twenty-minute warning before the start of the main event threw a bucket of cold water over his rising lust. Closing his eyes and resting his forehead against Spud's Ethan fought to calm the racing of his heart, not helped by the smaller man's muttered curses. Stepping back he forced a smile at Spud's equally disappointed frown, "time to get ready." Hesitating for a second he gave into the banked jealousy, "just try to keep your distance from Rhyno from now on."

Getting his breathing under control Spud bent down and grabbed his gear, making sure his amusement was under control by the time he straightened up. "Of course Sir," murmuring dutifully he laughed and ducked away from Ethan's swat, the remaining tension in the air breaking.

The battle royal was a chaotic mess from the moment the bell rang. With his number drawn before Ethan's Spud was forced to rely on every underhanded trick he knew in order not to be thrown over the top rope. Suppressing the urge to swear when Bully was the next one out it was only by dint of some judicial dodging and throwing other people in his path that he was able to avoid Bully until Ethan's music rang out. Locking down his relief once his inattention almost got him tossed over the top he steadied his nerves and kept his eyes on Ethan's back, interfering whenever the odds were against him.

Soon the ring was cleared to just a few competitors and it became harder and harder to stay out of the way, especially when it seemed like Bully passed up on chance after chance to toss Ethan out just to target him. Ethan's worry sang through the bond and he paused long enough to clumsily send reassurance before sneaking behind Tigre Uno, his push enough to send the other man toppling off the top rope.

Seizing on the opportunity Bully grabbed Spud's arm and tossed him into the turnbuckle, he'd been trying to corner the annoying punk, well aware it would hurt Carter more if he went after Spud. And god did he ever want to _hurt_ him, the arrogant rich punk who thought he could hire his now _ex_-friend to intimidate him just because his Aunt owned the company. Catching Spud's scared but still defiant glare he leaned close, "tell Carter this is for him." Pulling back to viciously knee Spud in the balls he laughed cruelly at the other man's agonized gasp, easily hoisting his limp body up he tossed him carelessly over the top rope. Even with half a ring separating them he could see the moment Carter realized what happened, the other man whirling around leaning over the ropes to urgently check on his little 'friend'.

Wincing at the ripple of pain sinking into the bond Ethan turned to see Bully toss Spud over the top rope with no hope of reaching them in time, pushing Lashley aside he ran to where Spud was collapsed on the mat, his worry blinding him to Bully's approach. Aware of the other man only when a heavy hand landed on his back and shoved him roughly over the top rope, Bully's mocking voice following him as he twisted to avoid landing on Spud. "Sorry if I damaged your boyfriend Carter, though I'm sure he can still be of some use to you."

The filthy insinuation in Bully's tone had his eyes flashing red in rage, a familiar hand touching his elbow stilled him from jumping back in the ring and tearing the other man apart limb from limb. Turning to Spud he had to close his eyes for a moment at the pain still visible on his bonded's face, swallowing he carefully helped him to his feet, "are you okay tiger? Did he hurt you?"

Leaning into the steadying arm Ethan slipped around his waist Spud gratefully accepted the help up the ramp, trying his best not to limp, "I'm fine Sir." Biting his lip at Ethan's huff of disbelief he dropped his eyes from the other man's narrowed gaze, "fine, he low-blowed me before throwing me out."

"I'm going to kill him," Spud's grip on his arm stopped him from turning around and even though he could break it easily Ethan allowed it to cut through his dark rage. Releasing a shaky breath he tucked the smaller man closer, "fine, I'll kill him later, first I'm going to take you to see the Doctor to make sure you're not injured."

"No," objecting instinctively Spud swallowed at the anger flashing through the bond, eyes wide and pleading he tried a smile, "I mean, I don't need a Doctor Sir. I just want to go back to the hotel, please." He thought he'd kept his satisfaction to himself when Ethan gave in after a moment's hesitation.

"Fine, but don't think I don't know what you're doing Spud. If I thought for a moment you needed it nothing would stop me from taking you to a Doctor, either under your own volition or over my shoulder," nudging Spud into their locker room Ethan grabbed a change of clothes, smirking at his bonded's guilty flush. "Now get dressed, we'll shower back at the hotel."

"Yes Sir," changing as quickly as his sore body would allow Spud tried not to think about showering with Ethan, knowing the other man hadn't meant it that way. In no time he had everything packed away, letting Ethan take all the bags they thankfully left the arena without bumping into Dixie. Undoubtably she was going to blame him for Ethan losing the battle royal and he really wasn't in the mood to deal with her disapproval right now. Not with his body aching and the struggle to keep it from flooding the bond.

Arriving back at their hotel he didn't protest the expected order he take a shower, the warm water soothing the ache in his back from the painful landing even if it didn't do much for the pain a little lower. Closing his eyes he relaxed until the water ran cold, finally pulling himself away he dressed in the baggiest pair of jogging pants he owned. Venturing out into the living room he found Ethan stretched out on the couch, obeying the silent gesture he settled by the bigger man's side, sighing as a warm hand immediately slid under his shirt and pressed unerringly against the lingering ache in his back.

Applying just the right amount of pressure Ethan watched Spud's eyes flutter shut under the massage, the subtle tension in the bond easing as he worked the knots out of stiff muscles. "Better?" Brushing a lock of shining hair off of Spud's face he kissed his bonded's faint smile, unable to resist allowing his fingers to dip lower he breathed in the smaller man's surprised moan.

"Yes," breath hissing out Spud shuddered, clutching Ethan's shirt he squirmed as the fingers went lower still, the promise in the teasing touch sent heat sparking through his veins. Dick twitching he hissed at the sharp jolt of pain, swearing when Ethan froze he groaned in protest when the bigger man withdrew, tipping his face up with a firm grip.

"Still too sensitive baby?" Spud's embarrassed flush had him shoving down his rage with all the control he possessed until the urge to kill Bully had passed. Focusing back on his bonded Ethan kissed the start of a frown away, "I can massage that for you if you'd like?" Waggling his eyebrows he had the satisfaction of making Spud laugh and thump his shoulder, the embarrassed pain on his face fading away.

"Git," Ethan's grin sharpened at the fondly familiar insult and Spud shivered as the bigger man shifted him with insulting ease to straddle his lap, sighing in pleasure when lips brushed against his throat, the hint of fangs making his heart race.

"Well I can think of another way to help," humming against the thrum of Spud's pulse Ethan dipped into the bond at the same time he bit down, soothing as he drank until Spud sagged into him, body limp with utter relaxation.

Head spinning and feeling oddly disconnected from his body Spud pried his eyes open when that hot mouth withdrew, whining at the sight of Ethan licking a drop of blood off his lip, "Ethan." Voice high and breathless he tried to pull him closer with fingers that didn't want to work, groaning as he was swept up into strong arms the feeling he was floating only grew stronger on being carried to his room.

Laughing huskily as Spud held onto his shirt when he tried to set him down Ethan selfishly gave into temptation, "maybe I _should_ just check to make sure there's no swelling." The aborted sound of hunger the escaped his bonded did little to tame the wild need unraveling the edges of his control.

"Sir," with flaring heat beating back the tide of exhaustion Spud clumsily gripped Ethan's wrist, squeezing until dark red eyes met his, "don't tease." Breath hissing out as Ethan skimmed light fingers across his stomach he shuddered as the bigger man stepped back for a second and stripped down to his boxers, unable to prevent his longing from rippling out into the bond.

Sliding into bed Ethan tugged Spud into his arms, smoothing his hand down his bonded's chest he grinned sharply at the resulting whine, "I don't tease baby." Dipping in for a kiss he breathed in Spud's shuddery sigh, judging he only had a few moments before blood loss dragged his bonded under he regretfully bypassed the chance to explore all the lovely muscles under his hand.

Easing a hand inside Spud's pants to gently cup soft flesh he groaned at how utterly perfect the smaller man felt, fangs emerging so fast they cut into his lip. Almost lost to the glorious feel of Spud hardening under his grip he was dimly aware of the liquid fast unease slithering through the bond. Calling on decades of control he froze, "what's wrong? Am I hurting you?" Frowning as dazed blue eyes fluttered open he would have withdrawn if Spud hadn't stopped him.

Desperately shaking his head Spud clung to Ethan's arm, trembling under the fire streaking through his exhaustion he forced himself to meet the other man's eyes, knowing he'd have to explain at Ethan's worried expression. Licking his lips and whimpering as Ethan shifted his grip slightly he barely recognized the breathless rasp as his own voice, "I, I just don't want to disappoint you, I know I'm rather small …"

"No," interrupting before Spud could finish Ethan tipped his chin up and kissed him into silence, breathing the words into his mouth, "you're perfect." Flooding the bond with his certainly he groaned as Spud rocked into his hand, pleasure bursting across their bond. Swearing he carefully tightened his grip, even with all the blood loss Spud was almost fully hard and more than anything he wanted to kiss his way down his bonded's warm body and _taste_ him, have him fall apart on his tongue until all Spud knew was his name.

"Ethan," voice trailing off in a whine Spud tried to drag the other man closer. His skin felt like it was on fire and it was hard to catch his breath, vision wavering he desperately struggled against the exhaustion pulling him away.

"Shh, baby, it's okay," soothing even as he could feel the dark tide of exhaustion rolling through their bond Ethan reluctantly released his grip, huffing out a faint laugh when Spud fell asleep mid-protest. Closing his eyes he stroked trembling fingers down Spud's back, he was so hard it hurt and yet he couldn't bring himself to leave, protective possessiveness clawing deep and overriding the need for release. Breathing out roughly he waited for his body to calm down, morning would come soon enough and he fully planned to teach Bully to never _touch_ what was his again.


End file.
